Duterte vows press 'boycott' until end of term

DAVAO CITY – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said he would "boycott" the press "until the end" of his term, after a string of controversial comments drew widespread criticism.

The 71-year-old firebrand who will assume office on June 30 said last week that some journalists were killed because they were corrupt.

He also wolf-whistled at a female television reporter during a press conference.

“Sorry ha, talagang... boycott,” Duterte said in a 27-second video posted on Twitter on Monday by TV5 reporter France Noguera.

Asked how long the boycott would last, Duterte said: “Until the end of my term.”

“Ayoko na, interview maraming mali, maraming criticism so no interview, no criticism, no wrong statement, no nothing, shut up,” he said.

The Paris-based watchdog group Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) called for a press boycott of Duterte for his statement on media killings until he apologized, while local groups said his comments turned reporters into targets for hired guns.

The Philippines is the third deadliest place in the world for reporters, according to the RSF. War-torn Syria tops the list.

But Duterte refused to apologize both for linking media killings to corruption and cat-calling a journalist.

During his victory party here on Saturday, he described as “impertinent” for asking about his health. He referred to one journalist when it was a different reporter who asked the question.