Netizens laud Mike Enriquez for his comments about 2019 polls

FILE: Journalist Mike Enriquez of GMA News and Public Affairs at the Pinesville gate of White Plains Subdivision in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. (Photo By Josh Lim (Sky Harbor) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Netizens lauded veteran Kapuso broadcast journalist and radio host Mike Enriquez for airing out his candid comments on national television about the 2019 midterm polls, making him one of the trending topics on Philippine Twitterverse on Tuesday, May 14.

Enriquez was reporting on GMA’s “Eleksyon 2019” special coverage, alongside with his fellow news anchors Mel Tiangco and Jessica Soho.

In a video clip of him that circulated online, Enriquez can be seen having an interview with GMA’s resident television analyst Richard Heydrian about the unofficial senatorial race results,

“Professor Richard, wala pa rin sa kalaunan, wala pa ring tunay at malaliman na pagbabago at reporma tayong maaasahan (until now, there is still no real and deep change or reform that we can expect). Same-same,” he said, while the names of Senate hopefuls flashed on the screen.

In another clip showing Enriquez talking with Tiangco and Soho, the “Imbestigador ng Bayan” was heard saying that he wanted to conduct an interview with the leading candidates.

“Gusto ko silang singilin, anong maasahan namin sa inyo (I want to charge them, what can we expect from you)?” he told his fellow broadcasters.

Tiangco then replied, “Maniningil ka na (You are going to charge them already)?” to which Enriquez answered, “Yes! Para magkaalaman. Ngayon pa lang magkaalaman na para habang umuusad ang kanilang termino, nache-check natin ‘yung ginagawa nila versus ‘yung ipinangako nila (So we would know [what to expect]. We should know it by now so that while their term is moving forward, we are able to check what they are doing versus what they have promised).”

“Ganun lang ka-simple ‘yon (It is that simple),” he added.

Tiangco, however, told Enriquez to give the candidates time to enjoy their victory, but the latter responded, “Ah ganon? Tama kayo. Pero ‘yung mga nagugutom at mga walang tirahan at walang panggamot ‘pag may sakit, subukan mo na sabihan sila ng ‘konting panahon pa, tiis-tiis lang (Really? You’re right. But those who are hungry, homeless, and cannot afford medication when they are sick, try to tell them, ‘Hang on a little longer, endure it first).”

Enriquez’s frank comments, however, did not stop there as one more video showed him uttering the words, “Kung kalahati lang sa mga ipinapangako ng mga kandidato ay magkatotoo, kalahati lang hindi siyento porsyento, aba’y napakagandang lugar nitong Pilipinas (If at least half of what the candidates promised comes true, even just the half, then what a beautiful place the Philippines would be).”

Soho, on the other hand, was seen trying to calm Enriquez down, while Tiangco declared a commercial break.

Many netizens, who perhaps are also frustrated with the election results, cannot help but hail Enriquez for throwing “truth bombs” on-air.

“The fact that news anchors are trained to remain calm, keep their cool while on screen, and yet veteran journalists like Mike Enriquez decided that he was just NOT HAVING IT today says a lot about the state we live in now,” Twitter user @JanusNovio said.

Netizen @meg_alfmenist, meanwhile, said Enriquez’ comments left her in awe.

“D*mn we need more Mike Enriquez, the way he spilled those truth beans proves us that not all journalists are biased.

He fights for the truth, exercising their Serbisyong totoo. Woah I salute you Sir!” she wrote.

Also hailing the broadcaster, social media user @iamjeddee tweeted, “MIKE ENRIQUEZ IS NOT HAVING IT. HE SNAPPEDT! He’s channelling the Filipino voter who is sick and tired of all this bullsh*t results.”

Enriquez, known for his straight-to-the-point commentaries and integrity, is a multi-awarded anchor of GMA’s 24 Oras and Super Radyo dzBB.