PASAY CITY — Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Thursday backpedaled on his remarks accusing the media of being paid hacks during his opening statement at a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, saying the comments stemmed from “deep frustration.”

This came after he recalled what he viewed as a lack of coverage of his role in a major rally in January 2025.

Marcoleta recalled speaking for about 45 minutes at an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) rally at Luneta, where he discussed the rule of law, due process, and opposition to impeachment proceedings.

“Rally ng INC yon. I am one of the four speakers. [T]he banner was two million crowds gathered in Luneta. Except for the fact that I was the only one among the four speakers who provided the context of that rally,” he said.

He said he was disappointed that two newspapers — Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Philippine Star — did not mention him in their reports.

“My name was not there. Even just the acronym of my name — for example, if someone wrote they heard from RDM — I probably would have accepted that,” he said.

Marcoleta noted that other politicians who attended the event, including Senator Francis Escudero, were mentioned in news reports.

“I'm airing my frustration. Why is it like that? Two major newspapers, if we are for the truth, as they claim while defending the Senate President. How come 11 reporters did not see me and did not hear me as though I did not exist on that day? I spoke for 45 minutes. What do you say? Is there any basis for my frustration?” he said.

Marcoleta clarified that he was not referring to the entire media industry, but rather to public relations (PRs) practitioners.

“I did not mean all of them. I never said the entire media is paid. I never said that. Maybe I had some frustrations with PRs. PRs are the ones who do that. They spin all this. They control some narratives,” he said.

“I apologize if I spoke that way. I did not mean it. This is because of my frustration over what happened and what I continue to see happening,” Marcoleta added.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano defended Marcoleta, saying the remarks were made in the context of PR efforts.

“There are things we need to balance. But he didn't mean that most or many,” Cayetano said.

Senate media pushes back

Reporters covering the Senate condemned Marcoleta's remarks, describing them as “irresponsible” and a reckless attack on journalism.

In a statement, the Senate media corps said the comments unfairly maligned journalists who work to inform the public and hold officials accountable.

“Marcoleta’s accusations against the press, if not supported by evidence, erode public trust in legitimate journalism and contribute to a climate of hostility against media practitioners simply doing their jobs. The role of journalists is not to serve politicians, political parties or competing factions in the country's endless political battles,” the group said.

The reporters stressed that the media's role is “to pursue facts, verify information, question those in power and report developments without fear or favor.”

“Public officials, such as Marcoleta, who make serious allegations against journalists have a responsibility to present evidence instead of just relying on inflammatory rhetoric that undermines democratic institutions,” the statement added.

The group also said journalism should not be dragged into political warfare and that its allegiance remains “solely to the truth and to the public it serves.”