PSG chief slams how Rappler projected him as ‘the bad guy’

Rappler, in its report about the incident, quoted Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief, Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy as saying that Ranada should be glad that the PSG personnel who stopped her from entering did not hurt her despite her bullying him. (ROLANDO MAILO/ Presidential Photo)

MANILA — Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief, Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy, on Wednesday claimed that Rappler was projecting him as “the bad guy” by not giving the public the “whole picture” of the incident, which involved one PSG personnel barring one of its reporters from entering Malacañang on Tuesday.

Dagoy was referring to the incident that involved Rappler’s Palace reporter Pia Ranada who was temporarily not allowed to enter Malacanang’s New Executive Building Tuesday.

Rappler, in its report about the incident, quoted Dagoy as saying that Ranada should be glad that the PSG personnel who stopped her from entering did not hurt her despite her bullying him.

The online news site was quoting Dagoy during an interview with Communication Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson Tuesday.

Dagoy claimed that Ranada was rude to the PSG personnel assigned at that time, Corporal Marc Anthony Cempron by taking a video of him on her phone.

He challenged Rappler to show the entire video of him making the statement to the public to reveal his statement’s entire context.

“You see how selective they are in finding fault at me without giving the people the whole picture of the incident. I challenge Rappler that they present the whole video to the public and let them decide who between us made the grievous mistake on what transpired during the incident,” Dagoy said.

“Imagine, namili lang ng (Rappler only selected a) portion of the incident, then project me already as the bad guy? Tama ba yan? Ganyan na ba ang standard ng media investigation ng Rappler (Is that right? Is that the standard of Rappler’s media investigation)?”

Dagoy said he refused to apologize to Ranada for what he said, urging her to apologize to his personnel.

“Me to apologize? In their dreams! Sila ang mag-apologize sa sundalo ko (They should apologize to my soldier),” Dagoy said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said Dagoy’s remark was “uncalled for” and that PSG personnel had no right to harm any of Rappler’s reporters.

“That remark was uncalled for and really off the mark. Whatever is Rappler’s offense, the PSG has no right to harm Rappler’s people or threaten them,” Lorenzana said.

He sought patience from Rappler, saying that Dagoy’s remark was brought about by the heat of the moment.

“Pasensiyahan nyo na. Bugso lang ng damdamin yan sa pressure ng trabaho nila (Please try to understand them. It was just the heat of the moment from the pressure of their job),” Lorenzana said.