Karen Davila Gets Flak From Netizens For Demanding Paolo Duterte Attend the Senate Hearing

It’s not the first time for ABS-CBN and DZMM news anchor Karen Davila to receive a backlash from netizens for statements she made on her news and commentaries on radio and TV. As a matter of fact, in 2016 Davila was forced to set her Instagram account on private after being bashed by netizens on different social media sites “for being a biased host.”  

It’s also not the first time that she criticized a member of the Duterte family. The latest of which was on her DZMM news commentary where she criticized Presidential son and Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte for not coming to the senate hearing despite his name being mentioned, most especially by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.  

“Bakit kung sino yung mga ordinaryong indibidwal, kailangang sumipot sa Senado.. Bakit po kayo di pwede?,” Davila said. She also cited that as an elected official and member of the Duterte family, Pulong must attend the senate hearing and clarify his name instead of letting senators do it for him.

This is in obvious reference to Senate Blue ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon, whose name she eventually mentioned in her show, and who also very recently clashed with Trillanes after the latter asserted that Both Pulong and his brother-in-law Mans Carpio be summoned to the hearing after  one so-called witness dragged their names into the Bureau of Customs smuggling scandals.

“Kahit po public official o ordinaryong tao, pantay pantay kami, hindi po porket miyembro ng first family eh hindi niyo ipapatawag, yan po ang opinyon ng isang tax payer na tulad ko, sana po patas po. Ipatawag niyo lahat ng binabangit under oath sa senado. Walang takot yan,” Davila added, addressing the senate.

As expected, pro-Duterte bloggers and netizen alike were quick with the clapbacks.

Sass Rogando Sassot in a series of Facebook status posts criticized Karen Davila for singling out Pulong.  Sass pointed out especially how silent the news anchor was during Leila De Lima’s hearing despite the slew of witnesses and evidence.

“Si De Lima nga hindi nag-attend ng congressional hearing na may sworn affidavit pa ang mga nag-aakusa sa kanya na tumatanggap siya ng pera mula sa mga drug lords sa Bilibid, at pinigilan pa niya si Dayan, pero di mo siya pinapunta Karen Davila. Ngayon gusto mong papuntahin sa senado si Paolo Duterte at Mons Carpio dahil "nabanggit" ang kanilang pangalan? Huh? Ateng, bistado ka na. Sige salsal pa sa gusto ni Trillanes.”

The well-known Duterte supporter also challenged Davila to file a case against Duterte in court if there is any evidence of the vice mayor being a smuggler, accusing the ABS-CBN and DZMM host of stroking Sonny Trillanes’ need for self-promotion.

“Karen Davila, kung may ebidensya na smuggler si Paolo Duterte at Mons Carpio, mag-sampa na ng kaso sa korte. Sabi nga diba ni Trillanes kay Gordon: Hindi korte ang senado. So anong purpose ng invitation? In aid of legislation or Trillanes' SELF-PROMOTION? Ikaw naman teh super sinalsal mo ang gustong mangyari ni Trillanes. Teh, ano ba. Si Alma Moreno lang naman ang kaya mo.”

Sass also questioned why it was so important for Davila that Pulong Duterte and Mans Carpio attend the senate hearing, when resources have cleared both names of involvement.

“Bakit kaya "importante" para kay Karen Davila na mag-attend si Polong Duterte at Mons Carpio sa senate hearing ng shipment ng shabu na nakalusot sa BOC eh according to the key resource hindi nga involved ang so-called "Davao group" doon? Bakit iyong involvement ni Leila de Lima sa proliferation ng shabu sa Bilibid deadma si Karen kahit na sangkatutak ang witness? Anong eksena iyan Karen D? Maiyak-iyak ka pa habang nagsasalita sa radio show mo. Wazzup?”

De La Salle University Professor Van Ybiernas also said his piece regarding the situation, asking whether Karen Davila also demanded that Ballsy Aquino go to the senate when the then-presidential sister’s name was mentioned by a Czech Ambassador in connection with accusations of extortion on the MRT project.

“Pinapunta ba ni Karen Davila sa Senado si Ballsy Aquino nang mabanggit ang pangalan nya ng Czech Ambassador kaugnay sa pangingikil sa isang proyekto ng MRT?”

Another strong pro-Duterte supporter is Trixie Cruz-Angeles who expressed her take on the situation in her usual eloquent manner.

In her Facebook page Luminous byTrixie Cruz Angeles, she raised several hard-hitting points including the fact that as per the Philippine Constitution, the accusers have the burden of proof.

“Karen Davila says that Paolo Duterte and Mans Carpio need to go to the senate to clear their names because they were mentioned by a witness.

What she is doing here is saying that because their names were mentioned, they are presumed guilty and they now have the burden to clear their names?

They have no such burden.

The accuser must prove guilt. The person who asserts a fact must prove it. Sen. Trillanes believes the two are guilty? Then he must have evidence to show that. Trillanes asserts that Paolo Duterte is connected to Taguba? Then he must prove it. Hearsay evidence proves nothing.

The problem is, Ms. Davila wants the two to prove their innocence. Forgetting that innocence is presumed, and this presumption is guaranteed by the constitution.

The two do not have anything to prove. It is Trillanes who needs to prove that his suspicions warrant some kind of compulsion to force the two to come to the senate.

You have it backwards, Ms. Davila.

One last thing. As my friend Xc A Marin points out, the senate is a legislative body. It is not a court. A court is where you prove guilt or innocence and ... ahem... clear your name once and for all. :) ”

How will Karen Davila react? We will wait and see.

Source: Sass, Van, Trixie