UP prof Arao tells Roque to calm down after viral interview with Pinky Webb

University of the Philippines professor Danilo Arao asked Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to calm down after Roque took offense in an interview with Pinky Webb which went viral.

“Wala naman puwersahan kung sagutin o hindi. Just for the record, dati naman kaming magkaibigan at nagkasama na rin kami sa ilang kampanya lalo na sa press freedom issue at Ampatuan massacre commemoration. Dumarating ang pagkakataon na magkakaroon ng pagkakaiba ng saloobin,” said Danilo Arao.

Arao earlier reacted to the termination of the UP-DND accord, the agreement between UP and the National Defense stating that police and military are not allowed to enter the UP campus without the permission of its administration.

“CHALLENGE: UP faculty and alumni who are Duterte’s top-level officials should denounce Lorenzana’s letter terminating the 1989 accord. This disregards everything that UP stands for. Should they remain silent, a six-word question: Where is your honor and excellence?” Arao tweeted.

However, Roque took offense and accused reporter Pinky Webb of being unfair when he was asked to react to Arao’s tweet in an interview on CNN Philippines yesterday.

UP prof Arao tells Roque to calm down after viral interview with Pinky Webb

“I have to highlight the fact that I think the question on Arao was unfair. In the first place, why am I duty-bound to follow anything that Professor Arao says?” Roque said.

“You made it appear as if it’s compulsory for me to follow him,” Roque told anchor Pinky Webb. “I spent more time in UP than him. It was not a fair question. I’m not duty-bound to follow anything that Danny Arao says.”

Pinky then had clarified that she was only asking for a reaction about Arao’s tweet.

“Ang advice ko lang sa dati kong kaibigan, ‘wag pagbuntunan ng sisi ‘yung isang news anchor, although she should be commended for standing her ground,” Aoro said.

“Ngayon kung sinabi niya na yung kaniyang good office ay puwedeng maging venue at puwedeng maging mekanismo para sa diyalogo ng UP at ng DND, eh ‘di gawin din yan pero sana kalma lang po. ‘Wag nang mapikon sana,” he added.