“All I’m saying is in this instance, the President had nothing to do with it. It’s by individuals who were not his appointees. He could not control the majority of the commissioners and the chairperson of the SEC itself,” sabi ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
Idinagdag ni Roque na kung nais ni Duterte na ipasara ang Rappler, magpapadala na lamang siya ng mga miyembro ng Armed Forces.
“If the President wanted to do that, he could have just sent the Armed Forces to their offices and padlock them, which has been done by other regimes. The President has never done that,” giit ni Roque.
Kinontra rin ni Roque ang pahayag ng Rappler na biktima ito ng pag-atake sa kalayaan ng media.
Nauna nang binatikos ni Duterte ang Rappler kung saan kinuwestiyon niya ang totoong may-ari nito.
“No one is exempt from complying with the Constitution and the laws of the land, even Rappler, even the media must comply with it,” ayon pa kay Roque.