Roque says Duterte hasn’t fired him despite blogger call

November 9, 2017

Harry Roque said on Thursday President Rodrigo Duterte has not fired him and he remains as the presidential spokesperson.

Pro-Duterte blogger RJ Nieto, whose that the President could have mistaken for appointing the lawyer and former congressman as his spokesman.

"I can attest that I have not been fired," he told reporters in a text message.

"You need to ask him directly," he said when asked of Duterte's reply on the call to fire him.

Roque, who just assumed last Monday his post as presidential spokesman, has been criticized by some die-hard Duterte supporters, particularly Nieto, for lecturing about the importance of press freedom and the role being played by the mainstream media.

Roque is one of the Cabinet members accompanying Duterte to Vietnam for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Meeting. Celerina Monte/DMS