Lorenzana on PSG chief’s threat vs. Rappler: ‘That’s uncalled for’

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana came to the defense of online news organization Rappler, saying that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief had no right to harm the former nor threaten its people.

"That remark is uncalled for and really off the mark. Whatever the Rappler’s offense the PSG had no right to harm Rappler’s people nor threaten them," Lorenzana said.

His statement came in after PSG commander Brigadier General Louie Dagoy said Rappler reporter Pia Ranada should have been grateful that the PSG personnel who barred her from entering the premises of Malacañang did not hurt her.

"'Wag ninyo ganunin. Sumusunod lang sa utos 'yan, mabuti nga hindi kayo sinaktan. Magpasalamat kayo hindi kayo sinaktan sa pambabastos na ginawa niyo. It's very rude on their part to do that," Dagoy said in an interview with Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson which was posted on her Facebook account.

"You should have done it by calling the proper persons to answer your query. Kung hindi kaya ng sundalo sagutin 'yon e 'di magtanong sana kayo sa head ng PCOO [Presidential Communications Operations Office] or somebody from PCOO para immediately alam ninyo. We do not need to resort to that kind of situation. Pambabastos 'yon. Hindi namin gusto 'yon," he added.

Dagoy said Ranada kept on "pursuing" his soldiers even after she was informed that she is not allowed to enter the Palace.

"Siguro nagkaro'n lang ng misunderstanding doon sa instruction ng sundalo na hindi sila papasukin doon sa Malacañang. In-assume ng sundalo natin na pati doon sa NEB building...Ang hindi ko lang nagustuhan sa ginawa ni Pia at ng ABS-CBN bakit kailangan nila pagtulak-tulakan ng mic 'yung aking sundalo na sinabi naman sa kanila na wala akong masabi sa inyo kung ano man 'yung gusto niyong itanong except na ban kayo sa Malacañang," he said.

"So sana kung nalaman ninyo na banned kayo, pwede naman kayo tumawag sa PCOO kay Secretary Andanar o kay [Undersecretary] Mia [Reyes]...and ask why is it that they are banned. Mas pangit naman 'yung ginawa nila na bastusan na rin. Bakit kailangan bastusin 'yung sundalo ko? Isusubo-subo 'yung mic para magkuha ng information with camera," he added.

Dagoy also warned that if the same situation occurs again, he will ban Ranada from the "whole  Malacañang complex."

Ranada who was banned on Tuesday, said it was President Rodrigo Duterte himself who prohibited her from entering the Palace.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra disclosed that Rappler's media accreditation with the Malacañang  Press Corps has "accordingly ceased."

Rappler, for its part, decried the act as "another instance of power attempting to intimidate independent journalists."

The Securities and Exchange Commission revoked Rappler's certificate of incorporation last month for supposedly violating the constitutional prohibition on foreign ownership of mass media. —KG, GMA News