Davao: A female TV reporter had the shock of her life when the Philippines’ president-elect Rodrigo Duterte catcalled her after she raised a question from among the media team assembled at a nationally-televised press conference.
Not happy with the catcall, Duterte then broke into singing a line from a popular Filipino tune after GMA Network TV reporter Mariz Umali threw in a rather serious question about hiring and firing Cabinet ministers.
The incident put Umali on the spot and visibly embarrassed her among her peers, who broke into a mix of laughter and applause.
Duterte, 71, a self-confessed womaniser, is known for flouting decorum and even vowed to shun the perks of power.
The lawyer who hit a landslide win in the May presidential elections said he doesn’t have plans to occupy Malacanang palace, the traditional seat of power in Manila, and would instead hold office in Davao from 1pm to midnight.
Umali admitted she was shocked by the president-elect's reaction, which she said “may have been improper” for an incoming chief executive.
But Umali excused Duterte, mayor of Davao City for than 20 years, who scored a massive 6 million lead over the second-highest contender, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Umali said she’s not expecting an apology from Duterte.
“Iniisip ko lang na I must understand na talagang palabiro lang ito si President-elect Duterte, based from how I know him o kung ano ung mga alam dun sa mga coverage sa kanya ng ibang reporters,” Umali said in a mix of Tagalog and English. (“I just keep in mind that I must understand that President-elect Duterte likes to joke around, based from how I know him or what I know about the coverages of him by other reporters. So I maintained my composure, tried to understand what the situation, and tried to get my answer, which I did.”)
Umali added: “I am trying to understand it because during our coverages, he admits he is just like that. He also said that if he changed, he would no longer be Rodrigo Duterte.”
Raffy Tima, Umali’s husband, who is also a news reporter and TV anchor at GMA Network, however, was not very amused.
On his Facebook account, Tima said: "Catcalling my wife is wrong in so many levels. I expected that from a Mayor Duterte. I know his reputation well enough not to be shocked by it, but that does not make it right. For someone who espouser leadership by example, catching anyone in a press conference with all cameras trained on him defies logic. Then again, that’s Mayor Duterte.”
