PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, February 14, denied having a hand in the arrest of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, whose online news outfit is critical of his administration.
In a chance interview in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Duterte made it clear that he was even unaware of the arrest warrant against Ressa. The warrant was issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 for a cyber libel case.
"Hindi ko talaga alam iyan. Not for today. Bakit siya naaresto? Sino ang nag-file? (I really don't know that. Not for today. Why was she arrested? Who filed it?" The President said on the sidelines of the proclamation and kick-off rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.
"Pero sabihin mo na (But to ask me), 'What can you say?' I cannot say anything. I have yet to read. May nag-sabi sa stage kanina (I was told earlier) but same answer. I cannot give you an opinion or say anything," he added.
Ressa spent the night at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila on Wednesday, February 13, after she failed to post bail. Ressa was freed after posting bail of P100,000 Thursday mid-morning.
Ressa was arrested over an alleged "defamatory" article published by Rappler that named businessman Wilfredo Keng on May 29, 2012.
Asked if Ressa's arrest was an attack on press freedom, the President said it was "far from it."
The President also denied any connections with Keng, who filed the complaint that led to the filing of charges.
"Susmaryosep (My golly), far from it. Actually, I do not relish [the thought of attacking] pagka-babae, pagkabata (women or children)," he said.
"Wala akong kuwan. Hindi ko kilala iyan si Keng (I do not have anything against her. I do not know Keng). Frankly, I do not know him and what prompted him to file a case," Duterte added. (SunStar Philippines)