IT was early in the Duterte administration when the chief of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Secretary Martin Andanar, asked the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) if bloggers could be accredited as members of the press corps. Chay Hofileña, in 2017, wrote about that issue thus: 'Clear about the distinction between the role of the press and that of pro-Duterte bloggers, the officers (of the MPC) said no.'

Hofileña further interpreted Andanar's path — which included broaching the idea of accrediting bloggers — as one headed toward 'propaganda and media control.'