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Government, International, Politics

BBC’s Stephen Sackur Invites Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo For Some Tea

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10B4C023-4DFA-4211-8C64-1018ABBA79FBLONDON, United Kingdom (The Adobo Chronicles, Berlin Bureau) – It’s strike two for BBC’s Stephen Sackur.  His program ‘Hardtalk’ has now featured Senator Antonio Trillanes and ousted Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in which he pummelled them with hard-hitting questions they could hardly answer.

In response to overwhelming demand from Filipinos, Sackur has  formally invited Vice President Leni Robredo to be his next guest to discuss national issues and the Duterte government.

Unfornately, Robredo declined the invitation, sayng, “No more questions, just merienda (refreshments).” To which Sackur replied, “Sure, let’s just have some tea.”

“And please bring along Georgina Hernandez.  She seems like an interesting person to talk to,” Sackur added.

No word yet if Robredo has accepted.

(iReporter Crispulo Bacud Tappa contributed to this report)

 

 

Film and TV, Government, International, Media, Politics, Social Media

Sereno, Trillanes Accuse BBC’s Stephen Sackur Of Being A Paid Troll For Duterte

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6FF09B3B-951E-41F9-ACF6-DE1DA6FFF905MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – They were both interviewed on BBC’s Hardtalk by host Stephen Sackur.  Now, they’re accusing Sackur of being a paid troll for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Senator Antonio Trillanes both said that they regret agreeing to appear before Sackur’s show.

Sackur all but embarrassed both Filipinos and pummelled them with hard-hitting questions that they couldn’t answer to the host’s satisfaction. 

In both instances, Sackur pointed that that Duterte’s overwhelming approval and satisfaction rate is considered extraordinary even in democratic countries in the West.

Trillanes and Sereno had hoped that being featured on a popular television program such as Hardtalk would be their ticket to instant international fame and bring their anti-Duterte stance to international spotlight. Instead, both political figures crumbled before the eyes of the world.

 

International, Media, Politics

Maria Lourdes Sereno: It Was A Mistake To Agree To An Interview With BBC’s Stephen Sackur

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60C4531C-8268-4529-B42D-963AB7BC3F63.jpegMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) –  It it were a basketball game, the score would have been 100 to zero.  If it were a boxing championship match, it would have been a unanimous decision. All in favor of BBC’s Stephen Sackur.  The loser: Ousted Philippine Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

During today’s interview on BBC’s ‘Hardline,’ Sereno was pummelled by the talk show host and the ex-magistrate couldn’t get in a single score.

At one point, Sackur told Sereno she was sounding very much like a politician and a die-hard Duterte opponent than a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  He also chided Sereno about her personal affairs which he said couldn’t stand up to scrutiny.

Sackur even tried to convince Sereno that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is extraordinarily effective as a leader who had a mandate, as opposed to Sereno who was an appointed judge.

We caught up with Sereno just minutes after her interview ended and we asked her what she thought of the encounter.

”I was hoping to take my case to the international media to gain support and sympathy, but I failed considerably.  In hindsight, I shouldn’t have agreed to be interviewed by the hard-hitting British talk show host, especially knowing beforehand how he embarrassed Senator Antonio Trillanes when the latter was also interviewed on the same program.”

”Or sana, sinagot ko na lang ang mga tanong niya in Tagalog,” she added. (I should have answered his questions in Tagalog.)

Sereno also told The Adobo Chronicles she should have asked her supporters for a pray-over before she went live for the BBC interview.