Atty. Salvador Panelo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
Despite having a testy relationship with the media following President-elect Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 controversial statements on journalist killings and his subsequent decision to shun the press, Atty. Salvador Panelo said that he is ready to become the spokesperson of the firebrand mayor.
In a Radyo Inquirer interview on Wednesday, Panelo said that it should be the members of the press who should prepare themselves for the next administration.
鈥淚 am ready, we are ready. I don鈥檛 know if the media is ready,鈥� he said in jest.
Asked to clarify his statement, Panelo said that the members of the press should become more enterprising now that the president-elect has decided to cancel his press conferences.
鈥淲ala silang matatanong [kasi walang presscon],鈥� he said.
(They won鈥檛 be able to ask anything because there would be no press conference.)
The incoming presidential spokesperson said that Duterte needs more convincing to reconsider his decision to boycott media.
鈥淜anina, magkausap kami [ni President-elect Duterte]. May pinakiusap akong pagbigyan [ng interview]. Sabi niya sa akin, 鈥楶ag-usapan natin You have to convince me.鈥�,鈥� he said.
(Earlier, we talked. I requested him to grant someone an interview. He told me, 鈥楲et鈥檚 talk it over. You have to convince me.)
READ: PH media silence on boycott a factor in Duterte snub鈥攕pokesperson
In a chance interview with TV-5 on Sunday, Duterte said that he will boycott the media until the end of his term.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 it. I don鈥檛 want to be interviewed. If I commit a mistake, there will be more criticisms,鈥� Duterte said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 better (if there鈥檚) no interview, no criticisms, no wrong statements, no nothing. (I will just) shut up. I really don鈥檛 want it,鈥� he added.
On June 3, the Duterte camp announced that the president-elect will only course his statements through state-owned television network PTV-4 after drawing flak for seemingly justifying the death of some 鈥渃orrupt鈥� journalists.
READ: Duterte to media: That鈥檚 it, no interviews in my term
Duterte remained unapologetic for his statements. CDG