Roque denies Duterte has cronies

President Rodrigo Duterte is not creating loyalists in the business community by taking down the oligarchs in the country, his spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday.

Roque rejected claims that Duterte may be cultivating his own cronies following the rise of Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy, who is a friend of the President.

“Wala po,” the Palace official said in a televised briefing.

“Si Dennis Uy po, they built their fortune because of mining and gold in Diwalwal [in Davao de Oro]. No one can doubt naman po na talagang gold producing po ang Diwalwal. Huwag po nating isipin na ‘yung kayamanan niya is because of President Duterte. Dati na po siyang mayaman.”

On Monday, Duterte claimed to have dismantled the oligarchy without having to declare martial law.

Roque later said the President’s speech did not target the Lopez family that controls media network ABS-CBN Corp., whose broadcast franchise was not renewed by Congress last week.

The Palace spokesman said the President was referring to businessmen he “has dealt with personally” such as Lucio Tan, the Ayalas and Manuel V. Pangilinan.

A top contributor to Duterte’s campaign kitty in the 2016 election, Uy has expanded his empire through several acquisitions and ventures under the present government.

Udenna Corporation—the holding company for Uy’s businesses—currently has interests in oil, gas and retail; shipping and logistics; education; food; gaming and tourism; property development and management; and infrastructure development.

Udenna further diversified by entering the Mislatel Consortium—now DITO Telecommunity— with Chelsea Logistics, Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company Inc., and China's state-run China Telecommunications Corporation.

The consortium is the country’s new major player in the telecommunications industry. -NB, GMA News