(Eagle News) — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday, Oct. 5, strongly refuted a media report that said President Rodrigo Duterte had linked an alleged drug pusher to Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua.
In a radio interview, Roque said the President’s words had been taken out of context by Rappler.
GMA News Online also carried a similar story.
“Fake news, fake news, fake news… Ang konteksto po ng sinabi ni Presidente, at meron po akong video… ang sinabi po ng Presidente, pano magiging drug lord si Michael Yang eh diyan pa natutulog ‘yung Chinese ambassador,” Roque said.
In a press conference later in the day, Roque called on Rappler to “do the profession of journalism a favor” and to issue an erratum, saying its erroneous report was shared by international media agencies.
He said as such, the publication of the erroneous report entailed “serious consequences.”
Duterte said Yang was linked to Zhao in a speech before Philippine Military Academy alumni in Malacañang on Thursday, Oct. 4.
“Ito daw si isang Michael Yang na drug addict daw, who is a… T*** i** drug Michael Yang. Ang ambassador ng China diyan natutulog sa bahay niya,” Duterte had said.