On Tuesday it called Duterte’s decision to ban its reporters from his events “another instance of power attempting to intimidate independent journalists”. The issue of Rappler’s status was mired in confusion, with Roque initially saying it could cover the palace news briefings while the appeal is ongoing. Contradicting Roque and another palace official, Medialdea told reporters that it was not Duterte’s desire to bar Rappler from his events, and the president was just following the SEC’s decision. HEATED EXCHANGESDuterte has sparred frequently during news events with Rappler’s palace reporter, Pia Ranada, and makes no secret of his annoyance at Rappler’s reporting, which has heavily scrutinized his polices and the accuracy of his public statements. “We encourage government to answer these uncomfortable questions and avoid using its immense power to obstruct, harass, and evade public scrutiny,” it said.

Source: The Express Tribune February 20, 2018 15:45 UTC