ABS-CBN news execs claw at gov’t officials in dialogue Fe Zamora Inquirer
December 06, 2007
MANILA, Philippines -- Maintaining the constitutional right to information, three executives of the ABS-CBN network Wednesday assailed government officials for the arrest and cuffing of members of the media, including a number of their own, in the wake of the failed revolt at the Peninsula Manila on Nov. 29.
In a dialogue held at the hotel, the scene of the “crime,” Maria Ressa, Chari Villa and Luchie Cruz-Valdez argued their position with Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon and other government officials in attendance.
“It was a request, not a command” was the response of Villa, head of the ABS-CBN news-gathering team, to Razon’s explanation that the journalists were arrested for ignoring a police “request” that they vacate the “crime scene” as an assault was underway.
Puno said the journalists were arrested for “consistent and persistent refusal to obey” police standard operating procedures and for “obstruction of justice.”
He said that unless these procedures were amended, journalists refusing to heed police “requests” to vacate an area of conflict would continue to be arrested.
“It was not the coverage that was the problem, but the physical presence of the media that caused obstruction [of justice],” Puno also said.
Some 30 reporters, cameramen and technical crew were hauled to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City, along with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, former University of the Philippines president Francisco Nemenzo and others who called for a change in government leadership during the seven-hour revolt.
Adversaries
The two-hour dialogue was organized by Malacañang and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP). But it was not the first post-crisis exchange between the media and an administration beset by coup attempts and such.
Malaya publisher Jake Macasaet said this was not unexpected as the media and the government were “classical adversaries.”
“It is when they come to terms that we should worry. That is the end of democracy,” Macasaet said.
In the aftermath of the December 1989 coup attempt, the government also called for a dialogue after the military declared some journalists “threats to national security.”
The role of the media in the August 1987 coup attempt was also questioned, with at least one journalist among those charged with rebellion along with the then coup leader, Lt. Col. Gregorio Honasan, now a senator.
In the March 1990 siege of Cagayan Gov. Rodolfo Aguinaldo, journalists were also trapped in a hotel with Brig. Gen. Oscar Florendo, who died in the shootout between government and rebel troops.
But the journalists were never called to task for being at the "crime scene.”
Some newspaper columnists were also arrested following the coup attempt in February. But they were later released, along with the other alleged civilian supporters of purported coup leaders Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Col. Ariel Querubin.
Radio-TV guidelines
As the dialogue was ongoing, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita was reminding the media of a memorandum circular barring radio and television from airing propaganda, comments and interviews of rebels and terrorists.
At his weekly news briefing, Ermita fished out Memo Circular 22-89, which was signed exactly 18 years ago by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and contains guidelines for radio and television stations in covering events, including rebellion/terrorism acts.
The memo circular, an amendment to that issued by the NTC on Nov. 12, 1985, was issued during the Aquino administration, in the aftermath of the December 1989 coup attempt, according to Ermita.
He said the guidelines were issued at that time because the Aquino administration had by then survived seven coup attempts since 1986.
Ermita read the portion of the memo circular dealing with the coverage of rebellion/terrorism acts:
“Corollary to the above and in view of the current ongoing state of rebellion/terrorism, the following broadcast/telecast guidelines shall be strictly followed:
“a. The airing of rebellious/terrorist propaganda, comments, interviews, information and other similar and/or related materials shall be prohibited.
“b. The airing of government strategic information, including but not limited to government military locations, troop movements, troop numbers, description of government weapons, military units, vehicles and such other government tactical operations shall likewise be prohibited.”
Franchises
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said he had begun studying the franchise of television networks to know what other efforts the government could exert should a broadcast outfit refuse a police request.
Gonzalez said he was going to check what the networks could or could not do under the franchises granted them by the government.
“I want to see the limitations or possible violations that networks may commit based on their franchise. The airwaves are owned by the Republic of the Philippines. You get the franchise to operate,” he told reporters.
Gonzalez said he wanted authorities to have an option should their requests be refused by the networks.
He said his move was intended to enable authorities to meet a need.
Asked about the possible chilling effect of such a move, Gonzalez pointed out that the franchises were public documents.
He also said he was not singling out any network. With reports from Christine O. Avendano and Leila B. Salaverria
