Duterte’s new spokesperson extends friendly hand to journalists

The newly designated spokesperson of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has extended a friendly hand to the members of the press in Davao City.

Ernie Abella in his opening words during a meet-and-greet with the press at the Royal Mandaya Hotel Tuesday evening said that he wants to start a coversation with the media in warm and friendly manner.

“I'd like to invite you to this conversation based on a cordial relationship, based on mutual trust. There has been a lot of smoke, a lot of noise but we'd like to get through that. After all, we all share in the same dream. We all want a peaceful, we  all want a prosperous, we want an inclusive nation,” he said.

Abella was first introduced to the press on Monday evening through a video statement announcing the latest addition to Duterte’s Cabinet members.

Rough edges

He said that he called for a meet-and-greet with the press the following day to introduce himself formally to the press and to answer some of their questions.

Abella made it clear during the press meet-and-greet that he is just in his position to “articulate as carefully and as clearly as possible the true intentions” of Duterte.

“I'd like to call it a conversation, nothing adversarial. Kung puwede, if we could avoid any rough edges and kumbaga magkaroon lang po tayo ng listening ear. If we can just sort of listen to one another more carefully and to be able to articulate the intentions and the spirit—the true intentions—of the President,” he said.

“I mean, after all, he does have a very clear intention, a very clear purpose. That is of course putting it on one side, it is to remove crime, corruption, and drugs. And on the other hand, basically as he puts it I believe in the miting de avance that every man have a comfortable life, enjoy a comfortable life,” he added.

On June 3, Duterte announced that he will no longer have press briefings “until the end of his term” after Reporters Without Borders urged Philippine media to boycott his activities. The statement came after Duterte said that murdered journalists are mostly corrupt and biased that outraged local and international press groups.

Since then, Duterte has not organized a press conference or granted media interviews.

But for Abella, Duterte’s move to ask him to issue a video statement on his recent appointees is a step towards warming up of relations with the press.

“I don’t want to read too much into his instructions. There is no instruction per se but basically the fact that he has asked somebody on his behalf like for example last night to announce the new appointees is a step towards warming up of relations. I mean that is my opinion,” Abella said.

Saved by Duterte

According to Abella, it was incoming Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) chief Martin Andanar who called him and welcomed him to Duterte’s team. He is yet to meet incoming presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

But in a separate interview also on Tuesday, Panelo said that he was the one who told Duterte that he needs a deputy to answer the questions of the press when he is unavailable.

Davao City-based Abella described himself a “great believer” and a “fan boy” of what Duterte in the city. He clarified that he did not apply for the post. During the campaign period, he was active on social media, writing articles about Duterte and what he has achieved in Davao City. 

But Abella also recalled an incident where Duterte was able to help him personally. It was in 1996 when he was kidnapped by “ethnic bandits,” he recalled, while looking for piece of property. A pastor then, he was detained for 24 hours.

“I wasn’t with them, but basically he [Duterte] talked with the people who could make a difference... He wasn’t demanding at anything. He would just say, ‘Trabaho ko lang ‘yan.’ It’s no big deal for him. It’s just part of his service,” he said.

Abella said that he is currently a president of a secondary school and a founder of a trading cooperative. Aside from being a pastor then, he was also a social entrepreneur and an instructor at an Ateneo school. He was also in the advertising industry for five years. —ALG, GMA News