Oops! Malacañang team transcribes, releases interview of Duterte impersonator

A radio interview with an impersonator of President Rodrigo Duterte was attributed by Malacañang's transcribers to the Chief Executive himself, prompting them to apologize for the error in the official transcript that was carried in the reports of several media outlets.

Titled “Interview with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte by Deo Macalma/Rica Herra/Isyu/dzRH/," the transcript sent to Palace reporters by the News and Information Bureau of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) on Monday morning contains the supposed interview by the station with Duterte and his top aide, Christopher "Bong" Go.

During the interview, the man on the other line affirmed his support for Go in the event that the Cabinet official decides to run for senator in the 2019 midterm elections.

He also vouched for the qualifications of Go, calling him a “man of principle and integrity.”

It turned out that it was Jun Alegre, dzRH's Bicol correspondent, who graced the radio interview.

"Matagal na po niya ginagaya sa program niya sa Naga si PRRD. Kinuha lang namin na regular segment every morning at 9, almost three months na. Katuwaan lang kanina but aware naman si SAP [Go], sinabi namin na impersonator lang 'yun," a dzRH source said.

The NIB later apologized for the error.

“The transcription titled ‘Interview with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’ by Deo Macalma and Rica Herrera over DZRH on March 19, 2018 should read ‘Interview with Impersonator of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’. Apologies for the error-NIB Transcription Section,” NIB said in an email.

The apology came two hours after the transcript was sent to the Palace media. —JST, GMA News