Sa panayam sa DZMM, iginiit ni MPC president Reymund Tinaza na ang MPC ang siyang nagdedesisyon kung sino ang aaprubahang miyembro nito at hindi ang Palasyo.
“For now, ang status ngayon ni Pia ay miyembro pa rin siya ng MPC, unless meron nang final ruling sa Court of Appeals sa apela ng Rappler sa pag-revoke sa SEC sa kanilang [registration],” dagdag niya.
Matatandaang hindi pinapasok ng Presidential Security Group (PSG) si Ranada sa Malacanang dahil sa utos mismo ni Duterte.
“Ang MPC ay isang independent media org, naitatag way back ng iba’t ibang admin at ever since….Isang independent media org. Ito at binubuo ng representatives from media networks,” ayon pa kay Tinaza.
“Itong membership sa MPC, MPC reserves the right to accredit its own members. Hindi ito pinapakialaman ng Malacanang particular ng dating Office of the Press Secretary, na ngayon ay PCOO. So, hindi sila nakikialam at hindi sila dapat makialam sa pag-accredit ng ating miyembro,” paliwanag pa ni Tinaza.
Samantala, kinondena ng Rappler ang naging pahayag ni PSG Commander Brigadier General Lope Dagoy na dapat pa umanong pasalamat si Ranada dahil hindi siya sinaktan ng PSG.
“We denounce the threat made by the commander of the Presidential Security Group against Rappler and its Malacañang reporter Pia Ranada. Dagoy’s statement is conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman, coming as it did from a soldier who took his oath to defend civilians, who stands closest to the seat of power, and who serves an organisation that has shown, time and again, its respect for and appreciation of civilian institutions such as Rappler,” sabi nito.
Kinastigo
Hindi naman pinalampas ni Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ang inasal ni Dagoy.
“That remark is uncalled for and really off the mark. Whatever the Rappler’s offense the PSG had no right to harm Rappler’s people nor threaten them,” ani Lorenzana.