MANILA, Philippines — Broadcaster Anthony Taberna denied rumors that he has severe COVID-19 and is now fighting for his life.
In a live video yesterday, Taberna proved that he is active and healthy and is just skipping the airwaves right now to attend to matters “more important than my life,” he said.
He also seized the opportunity to express opinion over presidential bet and former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.’s absence from GMA’s “The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews” special.
According to Taberna, he understood BBM’s camp for not accommodating the interview request because it may hurt the presidential aspirant’s survey lead over his opponents.
“Kung ikaw ba naman si BBM pupunta ka sa lugar na kung saan lalapain ka ng ma leon, sige nga? Common sense lang ‘yun, common sense! Lamang na lamang ka. Madadagdagan ba 60% mo? Malamang maubos ka d’un, papainan ka lang d’un. Itra-trap ka. Kukuhanan ka ng soundbyte. Pasasagutin ka in 30 seconds na hindi mo pa nabubuo sa isip mo ‘yung sagot, ubos na ‘yung oras. Itratrap ka na d’un, sasabihin tanga ka, hindi ka marunong sumagot.”
He called for respect for presidential candidates begging off from media interviews. He gave as examples the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., who he claimed to have never attended any presidential forum, and Vice President Leni Robredo, who was not replying to their request for interview in his DZRH radio program.
“Sa dami ng mga media entity ngayon na gustong ma-interview ang mga presidential candidate, ‘wag n’yong asahan na mapupuntahan lahat.”
Taberna shared that DZRH had been trying to get in touch with Robredo for an interview, but they did not mind if the VP’s office was not yet attending to their requests.
“Ito po ang catch. Wala pa pong confirmation si Yorme pero mukhang malapit-lapit na. Ang hindi po sumasagot, si VP Leni Robredo. E papano kung hindi dumating si VP Leni dito? Patay tayo. Ibig sabihin ba nu’n eh siya eh duwag o takot? O may itinatago? Hindi po, hindi po. Mayroon s’yang dahilan. Kung mayroon s’yang dahilan, rerespetuhin po natin ‘yun, ‘di po ba?,” he pointed out.
“Kaya nga imbetasyon ang tawag, nangungumbisa tayo. Tapos ‘pag ‘di tayo pinaunlakan, sasama ang loob natin.”
Robredo, as of today, posted on Facebook that she has already confirmed her attendance to DZRH’s interview request.
But while for Taberna, it seemed “okay” for Marcos’ spokesperson Vic Rodriguez to issue a statement for Marcos’ reason for not accommodating Jessica Soho’s interview invitation, Taberna said it is not good to use the claim that Soho was being “biased” as an excuse to evade the interview.
“Okay naman sana pero tingin ko ‘di tamang katwiran ‘yung biased si Jessica Soho. Wala sa hulog ‘yung pangangatwiran na ‘yun. Sabihin n’yo na lang na ayaw n’yong magpa-interview, tapos!” Taberna said.
Instead of saying that a media person was biased, Taberna advised political candidates to instead say that they are “busy” because it is not illegal to turn down interview requests, as it is also legal for journalists to ask tough questions.
“Eh ‘di tapatin n’yo na ‘yung nag-iinterview kaysa sisiraan n’yo pa na biased. Eh alam n’yo naman ang media depende sa… kung pabor sainyo, ano ‘yun, ‘di biased? Kapag tinanong ka tapos ‘di mo gusto ‘yung tinanong, biased na ‘yung nagtatanong? S’yempre media ‘yun, tatanungin ka nang gusto itanong basta hindi labag sa batas. So okay lang ‘yun. Kung ayaw n’yang pumunta sa interview, okay lang ‘yun. Pero ‘yung titirahin pa ‘yung host, para sa’kin, mali ‘yun.”
He claimed that all media outlets are biased and he, too, is “biased for the truth.”
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