House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano defended the media in the Philippines, explaining that despite numerous irresponsible reportings being published against the current administration, it’s still better to have a press than nothing.
He said that the freedom of the press is an exercise to practice healthy democracy in the Philippines.
“Yes, maraming problema sa media pero mas malaking problema kung walang media,” Cayetano said.
“So doon na po tayo sa healthy yung ating democracy pero may mga problema na kailangan nating hanapan ng solusyon,” he added.
Cayetano even said that he’s supporting the decriminalization of libel to give more freedom to some reporters who are afraid to expose things because of the possibility of being sued by their subjects.
However, he insisted that the media should be responsible for their report.
“Ako, personally I’m for the decriminalization of libel para hindi mahirapan but I’m also for responsible reporting kasi ang katotohanan din talaga at madalas biktima rin ang House of Representatives,” he said.
Supporters of the Duterte administration criticized the mainstream media for their some of their reports against the President.
Even the President itself said that “he has lost faith in media” in one of his past interviews.
“Hindi na ako nagpapa-interview ha. Choosy ako, choosy… I have completely lost trust in Philippine media,” Duterte told religious leader Apollo Quiboloy
“After all the trash that you have read, all of you. Even your child is accused of doing illegal activities,” he added.