MANILA, Philippines — The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s insult to veteran journalist Ellen Tordesillas and other members of the press was meant to “intimidate his targets.”
“There is no question Duterte’s tiresome habit of spewing personal insults is intended to intimidate his targets into silence or submission,” the NUJP said in a statement.
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“His are the tactics of the thug who resorts to the bludgeon because he cannot reason, even then he fails miserably,” they added.
Duterte vouched for the credibility of the latest diagram of people, including Tordesillas and other journalists, allegedly plotting against him on Monday.
“The matrix is true, also that on ‘Bikoy,’” Duterte told reporters in a mix of English and Filipino, in a chance interview after he cast his vote in Davao City.
He, however, declined to go into details of the supposed ouster plot and said that he would rather have presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo answer more of the reporters’ question so that his words would not be twisted. The president did not cite evidence to substantiate the claim of a conspiracy.
Duterte resorts to insulting than explaining 'matrix'
The NUJP hit Duterte for resorting to insult Tordesillas when he could not explain the supposed ouster “matrix” against him.
“Once again, the foul-mouthed misogynist who is the leader of our nation turns to personal insults when he will not or, most likely, cannot offer a credible explanation to his badly concoct and fictitious accusations against critics,” the statement further read.
While Duterte referred the media to his spokesperson for “equivocal” issues such as the matrix, he however vented his ire at Tordesillas, VERA Files president and called her a prostitute.
The veteran journalist dismissed Duterte’s latest tirade against her and said the firebrand leader resorts to vulgar words due to lack of evidence to prove the supposed ouster plot.
“Since Duterte does not have evidence to support his silly matrix, he is now resorting to vulgarity—the only language he knows,” she said in a statement.
The president also insinuated that other journalists are paid hacks, receiving payment from “Western.”
But the NUJP stood by Tordesillas and other journalists who received Duterte’s ire.
“Mr. Duterte may choose to ignore the lessons of history but does so at his own peril. But of one thing we are sure, as history has amply proven. Despots come and eventually go. The truth and freedom will always outlast them,” the journalists’ group also said. — Kristine Joy Patag