Estrada: RP press always abusive

SINGAPORE (via PLDT) — Better an abusive press than a gagged one. President Estrada said the exuberant press in the Phi-lippines was the best proof that he was following the laws of the land.

"In the Philippines, we prefer an abusive press rather than a curtailed press. That’s why our press is always abusive," the President said with a grin during a meeting late Thursday with businessmen here.

Mr. Estrada expressed this view when Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. was asked about media behavior in the country.

Siazon and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Felipe Medalla both tried to downplay the negative publicity that the President has been getting since October, from jueteng to mansions.

Siazon and Medalla stressed the businessmen should not believe everything they read in the Philippine papers because some of the articles sacrificed accuracy for sensationalism.

The two, however, were quick to explain freedom of the press was part of democracy and getting criticized was part of their job. "That’s what government officials are for," Siazon said.

But despite all these problems, the President told reporters "we will survive" the impeachment trial.

"Of course my conscience is clear. These are all baseless accusations coming from a confessed gambling lord," he said, referring to Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson who blew the whistle on him on the alleged gambling payoffs.

Mr. Estrada stressed he was elected by the biggest majority in the history of the Republic, "and the majority in our country are the poor people, right? So I’m elected by the masses, okay?"

He also denied instigating a class war by courting the masses’ support, but that he would only like to point out that he got voted into office by the plain and simple majority.