GMA News journalist Mariz Umali admitted that she was the reporter who could be heard in a viral video taken when former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was being brought to the hospital.
The video circulated on different social media platforms had a caption included that transcribed what Mariz was saying as ‘Tignan mo ‘yung Matanda.’
However, Mariz said that she didn’t refer the former Executive Secretary and legal counsel of former President Rodrigo Duterte as ‘matanda.’
The journalist also said that the video was taken while they were reviewing the footage they took when Medialdea was being carried to an ambulance, showing the lawyer peeking at Mariz before closing his eyes again.
“A certain vlogger has circulated a post containing my voice, claiming that I referred to Former Executive Secretary Medialdea as “matanda” while he was on a stretcher. This interpretation is inaccurate. What I actually said was, “Tingnan mo yung ‘mata niya’ (Medialdea), nakabukas siya nung una pero nung nakita niya ako, pinikit.” Mariz said.
“At that time, I, along with our stringer, was reviewing an exclusive footage of Former Executive Secretary Medialdea being taken out of the penitentiary on a stretcher. My observation was purely about his eyes—how they were initially open but closed upon seeing me during my attempt to interview him,” she added.
Mariz’s followers also believed that the journalist was only misheard and the subtitles included on the video added to the spread of misinformation.
“I want to be clear that no disrespect was intended toward Former Executive Secretary Medialdea. I hope this clarification helps set the record straight,” she stated.
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