Roque denies overreacting vs CNN reporter
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque denied on Thursday that he "overreacted" against a reporter of CNN Philippines when he scolded her during a virtual press briefing following a post on the television network's social media site about his supposed statement that the government had no program to conduct mass testing for coronavirus disease and it would be up to the private sector to do it.
In a press briefing, Roque thanked CNN Philippines "for changing the story. They placed context. They made correction."
But CNN Philippines said it stands by the story that it published on Monday, May 18, with the headline "Up to private sector to carry out mass testing, Roque says amid limited testing capacity."
During a virtual press briefing last Tuesday, Roque castigated CNN Philippines' Malacañang correspondent Triciah Terada when it was her turn to ask questions regarding the company's online report.
After reprimanding Terada, he immediately cut her off on air and was not given a chance to talk again.
According to CNN, it was not Terada who made a report on mass testing.
Roque acknowledged that his supposed statement that the government had no plan to conduct mass testing and that it would be up to the private sector to carry it out drew negative reactions among the people.
He maintained that he never made such a statement.
"The question is, I might have overreacted when I called the attention of CNN reporter. I think not," the spokesman said.
"First, the tweet trended that we don't have mass testing. The public became angry and afraid...this is not an ordinary time, this is a pandemic time. So, my reaction only fitted the situation that we are in a national emergency now, because the people should not be sad, should not be disturbed just because of the wrong story," he explained.
He also said that he reached out to Terada.
"Let's move on. But I cannot withdraw the statement that I did not say," Roque added.
In another CNN Philippines' tweet on Thursday, it maintained that it did not modify anything in the published story.
The Office of the Presidential Spokesperson, however, said it disagrees with the CNN Philippines' latest tweet.
"The fact speaks for itself. CNN Philippines, in its 18 May 2020 tweet, made mention that 'the government has no program yet for mass testing', which the news outlet later rectified by amending the quote of Secretary Harry Roque on the matter."
The issue came out when during the May 18 virtual press briefing, Roque was asked by one reporter if the government has not sanctioned mass testing.
Roque's reply was, "Well, as much as possible po ano, mayroon tayong - ini-increase natin iyong capacity natin ng testing kaya nga we're aiming na aabot tayo sa 30,000. Pero in terms of mass testing na ginagawa ng Wuhan na all 11 million, wala pa pong ganiyang program at iniiwan natin sa pribadong sektor...(As much as possible, we have - we are increasing the testing capacity, that's why we're aiming to reach 30,000. But in terms of mass testing that Wuhan has been conducting that all 11 million, we don't have such program and we're leaving it to the private sector...)." Celerina Monte/DMS
