MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte's mouth often lands him in trouble so his spokesman hopes he will just stick to the speeches prepared for him.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque believes this will happen if Duterte, who is known for his lengthy and freewheeling addresses, has "better" speechwriters.
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Asked by singer and television host Martin Nievera what his advice was to Duterte when he speaks, Roque said: "When he speaks, stick with the prepared script."
"Although I have promised him that I will help look for better speechwriters who will actually write speeches that he will actually read," he added.
Nievera was in Malacañang Thursday for his lifestyle program at the ABS-CBN News Channel.
Duterte usually discards his prepared speeches during public engagements, saying they do not reflect his sentiments and his concerns. He only reads speeches during formal occasions like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit and meetings with fellow heads of state. He also sticks to his script when he is running late for a night flight.
Most of the time, his lengthy, extemporaneous remarks are not related to the event he was invited to and often focus on illegal drugs, terrorism, corruption and his 2016 electoral victory.
The president often starts his speech by saying that he did not write his prepared address, which would only last for about two to three minutes. Duterte would then read portions of the speech and would joke that his speechwriters might get mad if he does not appreciate their efforts.
Some of Duterte's off the cuff remarks have stirred controversy, latest of which was his claim that God must have been stupid for allowing temptation to corrupt his work. His other remarks that sparked outrage include his claim that women cannot handle some form of intimidation and his statement comparing his war on narcotics to the Holocaust.
Martin grills Harry
Nievera was given the opportunity to ask Roque question during Thursday's Palace briefing.
He started by asking Roque what he ate for breakfast, to which Roque replied he had chicken longganisa (sausage) and egg.
The concert performer then asked Roque how important is the Malacañang Press Corps to him.
"Very important. The job is because of the Malacañang Press Corps, because it’s important that they deliver the message to the people. The message of the president be delivered to the people through them," Roque said.
Roque also claimed to be transparent, noting that people are entitled to be informed about matters involving their government.
When pressed which television channel asks the best questions, the presidential spokesman replied: "All of them asked best questions in fairness."
While he was in Malacañang to interview Roque for his show, Nievera himself had to answer a query from the media.
Asked by a radio reporter if he has words for Duterte, the singer said: "He is the best singing president of all the presidents, thank you." — Alexis Romero