Rappler to protest coverage ban; demands apology from Dagoy

The Presidential Security Group (PSG) blocked Rappler reporter Pia Ranada from entering the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacañang on Monday morning. (Photo: Pia Ranada/Twitter)

Following the President’s order to ban a Rappler reporter in Malacañang, the news website is set to protest the coverage blockage and is demanding an apology from Presidential Security Group (PSG) commander Brig. Gen. Lopez Dagoy for his recent statement.

Rappler, in a statement sent to Philippine Daily Inquirer, said that it would write a letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to protest the ban reportedly ordered by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

The news site in another statement called on Dagoy, saying, “We ask General Dagoy to apologize for his outburst or for his superiors to take him to task for threatening to use force outside the battlefield.”

“Dagoy’s statement is conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman, coming as it did from a soldier who took his oath to defend civilians, who stands closest to the seat of power, and who serves an organization that has shown, time and again, its respect for and appreciation of civilian institutions such as Rappler,” it added.

Rappler was reacting to Dagoy’s statement in an interview with Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson.

“He was just following orders. It’s a good thing he did not harm you. You should be thankful he did not harm you after you were rude to him. It’s very rude on your part,” Dagoy said, referring to Rappler’s assigned reporter to Malacañang Pia Ranada.

Rappler also reported that Dagoy texted Ranada, saying, “It was good that my soldier did not hit you when you were bullying him.”

“Why did they have to push the mic at my soldier, who told them he had nothing to tell them?” he added, talking about Palace guard Cpl. Marc Cempron, who the media including Ranada questioned in a video.

Dagoy also got mad at ABS-CBN reporters who also questioned Cempron, threatening that he could ban other reporters as well.

“Next time that happens to my soldiers again, I will ban you from the whole Malacañang complex,” he said in the interview with the ASec.

However, Dagoy countered Rappler’s statement, criticizing that the news site is making him look like the ‘bad guy.’ He challenged them to show the whole video.

“Imagine namili lang ng 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? (Imagine, they only chose a portion of the incident then projected me already as the bad guy? Is that right? Is that Rappler’s standard of media investigation?)

Me to apologize? In their dreams! Sila ang mag-apologize sa sundalo ko (They should be the one to apologize to my soldier),”

“Is that the standard of Rappler’s media investigation? Me to apologize? In their dreams! They should apologize to my soldier,” he said on Wednesday.