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| Duterte, the Philippines’ #NoFilter president, is no joke for journalists | Duterte, the Philippines’ #NoFilter president, is no joke for journalists |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The Philippines’ president elect, Rodrigo Duterte, has caused new outrage this week, for first seemingly threatening journalists with assassination and then catcalling GMA reporter Mariz Umali during a live broadcast press conference. While such behaviour is hardly out of character, his choice of target is telling. With an already weak and vulnerable free press, journalism arguably has not been as threatened as this (from the presidential palace, at least) since the Marcos dictatorship. Yet the press remains in thrall to the monster that – some outlets more than others – helped to create. | The Philippines’ president elect, Rodrigo Duterte, has caused new outrage this week, for first seemingly threatening journalists with assassination and then catcalling GMA reporter Mariz Umali during a live broadcast press conference. While such behaviour is hardly out of character, his choice of target is telling. With an already weak and vulnerable free press, journalism arguably has not been as threatened as this (from the presidential palace, at least) since the Marcos dictatorship. Yet the press remains in thrall to the monster that – some outlets more than others – helped to create. |
| Related: Media groups condemn Rodrigo Duterte comments on corrupt journalists | Related: Media groups condemn Rodrigo Duterte comments on corrupt journalists |
| It has been a fairly standard week for Duterte who, since a landslide victory less than a month ago, has already taken aim at the Catholic church – warning them “Don’t fuck with me”. He has told the military to “shut up” about concerns they have about Duterte going beyond reconciliation with rebel communist groups and offered official positions in his administration to people accused of mass murder. | It has been a fairly standard week for Duterte who, since a landslide victory less than a month ago, has already taken aim at the Catholic church – warning them “Don’t fuck with me”. He has told the military to “shut up” about concerns they have about Duterte going beyond reconciliation with rebel communist groups and offered official positions in his administration to people accused of mass murder. |
| These and other attacks on the Filipino political establishment are, of course, what has made him popular, but none of them are made in person: all have been made through the press, usually on camera. Duterte is not just the #NoFilter president, Duterte is no joke and the country (and region) should not have to adjust to his “quirks”, as commentator Prospero De Vera has recommended. | These and other attacks on the Filipino political establishment are, of course, what has made him popular, but none of them are made in person: all have been made through the press, usually on camera. Duterte is not just the #NoFilter president, Duterte is no joke and the country (and region) should not have to adjust to his “quirks”, as commentator Prospero De Vera has recommended. |
| Duterte needs antagonists, be they the “criminals” he eradicated from Davao while mayor (though the Philippine national police report shows Davao remains the murder capital of the country), or the liberal elites in Manila he pitched against during the election campaign. | Duterte needs antagonists, be they the “criminals” he eradicated from Davao while mayor (though the Philippine national police report shows Davao remains the murder capital of the country), or the liberal elites in Manila he pitched against during the election campaign. |
| There cannot be much surprise then that an anti-establishment figure is turning on the fourth estate. Duterte used all the outlets open to him during his campaign and given the headlines he regularly delivered, and the valuable international syndication that came with that, everyone was happy. Filipino political expert Julio Teehankee has noted this as “the emergence of a maverick president that is tailor-fitted for reality TV and the social media”. | There cannot be much surprise then that an anti-establishment figure is turning on the fourth estate. Duterte used all the outlets open to him during his campaign and given the headlines he regularly delivered, and the valuable international syndication that came with that, everyone was happy. Filipino political expert Julio Teehankee has noted this as “the emergence of a maverick president that is tailor-fitted for reality TV and the social media”. |
| The fact that other journalists can be seen and heard openly laughing at the misogyny aimed at a fellow member of their profession is both a sad symptom of a profession that has lost its collective spirit but also of a sycophancy to Duterte’s celebrity. His daily press conferences have become a nauseating affair that only seem to be delivering him more profile, and the press more advertising from page views and social media hits. | The fact that other journalists can be seen and heard openly laughing at the misogyny aimed at a fellow member of their profession is both a sad symptom of a profession that has lost its collective spirit but also of a sycophancy to Duterte’s celebrity. His daily press conferences have become a nauseating affair that only seem to be delivering him more profile, and the press more advertising from page views and social media hits. |
| Duterte has now turned on those who gave him an international platform, and while some have rightly condemned him, his next press conferences will likely be even better attended with more questions tee-ing him up for the next big headline. | Duterte has now turned on those who gave him an international platform, and while some have rightly condemned him, his next press conferences will likely be even better attended with more questions tee-ing him up for the next big headline. |
| Duterte has portrayed himself as a transparent leader (the daily unguarded, ask-me anything, press conferences are lauded by supporters and commentators as a new dawn) and transparency is certainly missing from a good deal of Filipino politics. But this will be transparency on Duterte’s terms. And given the claims he used death squads, and his own admissions, public accountability from the press has never been so important. A number of deaths during this election require much more attention, and still the 2009 Maguindano massacre of 58 including 34 journalists remains an open wound for the nation with the prosecution still continuing, and no end in sight. | |
| Related: Philippines' Duterte accused of disrespect after wolf-whistling female journalist | Related: Philippines' Duterte accused of disrespect after wolf-whistling female journalist |
| If domestic policy is too sensitive for president and press, then there is plenty of direct questioning needed on issues like shunning the US and making overt signals to China about a closer relationship. Indeed it is a policy not without some merit, much like the move to push the church out of politics and hopefully women’s rights and contraception. It is certainly more needed than going on “ride-alongs” with Duterte after dark, stopping at his “favourite watering holes”. Notably this election the new approach of Rappler, a social media-oriented Filipino news website, has given Duterte a direct voice to engage with young people. It would seem a disingenuous for the likes of Rappler to cry foul when Duterte turns on the site itself. | If domestic policy is too sensitive for president and press, then there is plenty of direct questioning needed on issues like shunning the US and making overt signals to China about a closer relationship. Indeed it is a policy not without some merit, much like the move to push the church out of politics and hopefully women’s rights and contraception. It is certainly more needed than going on “ride-alongs” with Duterte after dark, stopping at his “favourite watering holes”. Notably this election the new approach of Rappler, a social media-oriented Filipino news website, has given Duterte a direct voice to engage with young people. It would seem a disingenuous for the likes of Rappler to cry foul when Duterte turns on the site itself. |
| Without a strong, critically minded media, many are left to pin hopes of a progressive Duterte administration on vice-president, Leni Robredo, a former human rights lawyer. She may be the second most powerful person in the country by rank, but Duterte has seemingly tried to mitigate her influence by not giving her a cabinet post and instead offering one to Bongbong Marcos (the son of the former dictator Ferdinand and Imelda), whom Robredo beat into second place in the VP race. Duterte’s public reason? He didn’t want to hurt his friend Marcos’s feelings. | Without a strong, critically minded media, many are left to pin hopes of a progressive Duterte administration on vice-president, Leni Robredo, a former human rights lawyer. She may be the second most powerful person in the country by rank, but Duterte has seemingly tried to mitigate her influence by not giving her a cabinet post and instead offering one to Bongbong Marcos (the son of the former dictator Ferdinand and Imelda), whom Robredo beat into second place in the VP race. Duterte’s public reason? He didn’t want to hurt his friend Marcos’s feelings. |
| The feelings of the son of a former dictator are of concern, obviously; women, though, are sex objects and the subject of rape jokes. Duterte wants people to stop bringing these issues up. More should stand with the commission on human rights to challenge the president elect. | The feelings of the son of a former dictator are of concern, obviously; women, though, are sex objects and the subject of rape jokes. Duterte wants people to stop bringing these issues up. More should stand with the commission on human rights to challenge the president elect. |