Pinky Webb flips hair as Harry Roque erupts during live interview
CNN Philippines host Pinky Webb got a thumbs up from Twitter fans when she handled the tantrum of Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. with a hair-flip during a live interview on Jan. 20.
Netizens lauded Webb for being calm and composed when she talked to Roque on the proposal to allow military presence in state universities like the University of the Philippines on "The Source."
During the interview, Roque refused to react to what he described as an unfair question on honor and excellence regarding the controversial abrogation of the 1989 UP-DND Accord, which bars unauthorized entry of state forces in its campuses.
"Girls are the worst nightmare of Harry Roque. Pinky Webb when can I buy your calmness and composure? And Spox Harry you're such a clown! Face with tears of joy," a netizen commented. "Yung G na G si Harry Roque tapos flip lang ng flip ng hair si Pinky Webb. Love it! Hahaha!" another tweeted.
A netizen also commended the professionalism and patience of Webb during the live interview.
"Sana mabigyan ako ng composure tulad ng kay Ms. Pinky Webb. Her professionalism is superb, she never interrupted him even he keeps on interrupting her. Also, she keeps on driving back to the topic while yung isa personal na atake na lang ang ginawa. Love the hair flip ma'am!"
Netizens tagged video clips of the CNN Philippines interview and throwback photos and other video of the popular female broadcaster.
During the show, Roque lost his temper when Webb asked him if he will take on the challenge posed by journalist and UP professor Danny Arao on members of President Duterte’s Cabinet to denounce the unilateral abrogation of the accord between state university and the Department of National Defense.
Arao tweeted: “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?”
“The question on Arao was unfair. In the first place, why am I duty-bound to follow anything that Professor Arao says? You made it appear as if it’s compulsory for me to follow him. I spent more time in UP than him,” Roque said.
As Webb was explaining her side, saying she did not mean to make it appear that Roque was required to respond to Arao, Roque refused to hear the news anchor’s explanation.
“You were wrong. You were implying as if I had to follow what Danny Arao has said. What is the basis for this?” he asked Webb.
“It wasn’t just a question, you wanted me to answer Danny Arao. Why should I?” Roque continued.
Roque repeated his allegation against Webb of not being fair, to which the news anchor responded that she was. But the Palace official insisted that Webb was not.
“No, you were not . You were not. It’s as if I don’t agree with Arao that I have no sense of excellence or honor,” he said.