By Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
President Duterte showed his soft side as he hosted a Christmas party for the Malacañang Press Corps in Malacañang Tuesday.
The President reassured reporters, cameramen, and photographers at the party at the Malacañang Heroes Hall that he is not their enemy.
“I am not your enemy. Your quest for truth, that’s your business, not mine,” Duterte said. “At the end of the day, it’s not my property.”
“I want to be friends with you forever,” he added.
Duterte acknowledged that the media and the government always have an adversarial relationship. “Don’t worry about our relations, it’s always adversarial. Your truth is not my truth and everybody’s truth. Nothing satisfies the truth for the truth always hungers for more,” he said.
“Wala naman tayong galit sa inyo. We do not fight with each other. I do not hate anybody here or else I will not be inviting you to my place,” Duterte said.
The President had one request to the media during the party – remind government offices to not display his photos and instead, display pictures of the country’s heroes. “Please remind them. I hate it, and it’s not my time yet,” Duterte said, adding in jest that government offices that put his photo on display must be under-performing so they are sucking up to him.
“Akala naman siguro nila may makuha sila sa akin,” he added, reiterating that he does not play favorites.
Duterte had been at odds with the media for allegedly riding the bandwagon about his alleged hidden wealth.
The Chief Executive and his staff sang different songs enough to produce an album during the party.
Among the songs Duterte sang was his favorite “Ikaw.”
He was at first hesitant to sing because of a bad stomach but was eventually prodded. Duterte hid behind the divider as he sang the popular love song.
Duterte also sang Irish-Norwegian duo Secret Garden’s “You Raise Me Up” which he dedicated to his late mother Soledad. He also recited some poetic verses as the band continued to play the music in the background.
Duterte’s most trusted aide, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, also sang at the event.
He was shy at first but ended up singing several songs. These include America’s “All My Life,” The Beatles’ “Let it Be,” which he sang in a trio with two male MPC members, and Rey Valera’s “Maging Sino Ka Man” with CNN Philippines’ Ina Andolong.
But the most notable musical number of Go was his rendition of American singer-songwriter Five for Fighting’s 2001 hit “Superman (It’s Not Easy).”
