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President Rodrigo Duterte was "pissed off" at Pia Ranada, reporter of Rappler, an online news website, that was why he decided to bar her from covering Malacanang, his spokesman said on Wednesday.

In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Rappler could no longer send its reporter to any presidential activities inside and outside Malacanang.

"What she (Ranada) could not have now is access to the President because the President is pissed off at her," he said.

In another interview, Roque said Ranada "betrayed" Duterte, who treated her like his "granddaughter."

"Because many in the Malacanang Press Corps knew that she was treated by the president like his granddaughter. But to insist on fake news, there's no reason for her to remain in Malacanang if what she's going to report are all fake news," he stressed.

The Presidential Security Group barred on Tuesday Ranada from covering Duterte's event in Malacanang. She was also initially stopped by a PSG member from entering Gate 2 of the Malacanang Complex leading to the New Executive Building where the Press Working Area and the Press Briefing Room are located.

The move came after Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go, during the Senate probe on controversial frigate deal, accused Rappler and Inquirer of disseminating fake news.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told reporters on Tuesday that Ranada was prevented from covering Malacanang because of the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission revoking Rappler's registration due to alleged violation of constitutional provision on mass media ownership.

Rappler has filed an appeal before the Court of Appeals

Meanwhile, the Malacanang Press Corps, in a statement, said Rappler will remain a member of the MPC "unless the Court of Appeals upholds the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoking its registration."

"MPC, an independent organization of journalists regularly covering the President and Malaca?ang activities, asserts its prerogative to accept, suspend or revoke membership to the body," it said.

"While we respect the discretion of Malaca?ang to set accreditation rules for presidential events, we deplore any arbitrary attempt to bar access and harass reporters performing their duty as an independent monitor of power and guardian of public interest," MPC stressed.

It also urged Malacanang to communicate properly the grounds for such restrictions.

Ranada only learned that she was no longer allowed to cover Malacanang when PSG Corporal Marc Anthony Cempron tried to stop her from entering the NEB. While taking the video, she asked the PSG member who ordered her ban in Malacanang.

PSG chief Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy accused Ranada of "bullying" Cempron. He reportedly told Ranada in a text message that "it was good that my soldier did not hit you when you were bullying him."

Rappler demanded an apology from Dagoy for his "threat" against Ranada.

Dagoy, in a statement, said he would not apologize. Instead, he said, it should be Rappler that should apologize with Cempron.

"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," he said.

"Imagine they're just selecting portion of the incident then project me already as the bad guy? Is that right? Is that the standard of media investigation by Rappler?," he said.

"Me to apologize? In their dreams! They should be the one to apologize to my soldier." Celerina Monte/DMS