Journalists Outraged Over the Arrest of Several Dozen the Capacity of the Press to Discharge Its Duty to the Public

2 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS EDITOR’S NOTE

PUBLISHED BY THE CENTER FOR MEDIA FREEDOM & RESPONSIBILITY Court decisions and other Melinda Quintos de Jesus Publisher blows to press freedom Luis V. Teodoro Editor

Hector Bryant L. Macale HE DISMISSAL by the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) The decision to stay and to continue to cover a developing Assistant Editor of the class suit filed by the Center for Media Freedom story, or to withdraw from the scene, is the editorial prerogative Tand Responsibility and other media organizations and of a Constitutionally-protected press. It is at the very heart of Don Gil K. Carreon individual journalists outraged over the arrest of several dozen the capacity of the press to discharge its duty to the public. By JB Santos practitioners during the so-called Manila Peninsula siege could preempting the right of the press to decide either way, and Melanie Y. Pinlac yet be the biggest legal blow to press freedom to date. declaring that there is only one right way, which is not to cover Kathryn Roja G. Raymundo While the ruling cannot compare in impact to the continuing a story, the regime usurps a function and right that belongs Kristine Joyce G. Magadia killing of journalists, it was issued in the context of a clear only to the press. No regime has the right to dictate that a Apple Jean C. Martin policy by a regime hostile to press freedom and the people’s decision to stay and cover is wrong and can be penalized. Edsel Van DT. Dura right to information to do all it can, both within and outside the The RTC decision, if not challenged, would not only Reporters law, to deny the press its Constitutionally-guaranteed right to legitimize an illegitimate attempt to subvert press freedom, Arnel Rival cover events of public interest. This policy undermines the the Constitution, and democracy. It would also embolden an Art Director public’s sovereign right to information. already aggressively anti-press freedom regime to repeat the In the Peninsula incident, the regime stretched the definition offense, as it has several times threatened to do. Lito Ocampo of obstruction of justice to include journalists’ doing their job of The RTC decision came in the heels of the killing of one Photographer covering events of public interest, and arrested journalists even more journalist. Like most of the others killed, he was a after the so-called military rebels had been taken into custody. colleague in the community press. The assassination of Carol M. Paragele It did so without saying why they were being so treated, and on Fausto “Bert” Sison last June 30 demonstrates that while the Editorial Secretary the pretext of determining who were legitimate journalists and killings have abated, they are continuing as a sustained blow who were not, hauled them off to a police camp for “processing.” against press freedom. Jose Abueva Joaquin Bernas, SJ It was the worst incident of its kind in the history of the It reminds us all that while the legal is an important arena Melinda Quintos de Jesus struggle for press freedom since 1946—worse than any attempt in the continuing effort to defend press freedom, the killing of Fulgencio Factoran by government to restrain the press during the several coup journalists is still a major factor in undermining it, and that the Maribel Ongpin attempts against the Aquino administration in the 1980s, and defense of press freedom is as urgent a task as ever during the Tina Monzon Palma worse even than during the martial law period, when no reign of a regime whose indifference to the killings on the one Paulynn Paredes Sicam journalist was ever arrested while doing his or her job. hand, and whose sustained assault through legal and other Luis V. Teodoro By arresting journalists who were at the scene of an event of means on the other, has evolved into the worst threat to free Vergel O. Santos public concern, the regime was in effect saying through its expression and democracy since the Marcos dictatorship. Board of Advisers coercive instrumentalities that covering such an event is illegal, and withdrawal from the scene of crisis is the only legitimate decision a media organization can make. Luis V. Teodoro

The PJR Reports (Philippine Journalism Review Reports) PRESSED FREEDOM By Manix Abrera is published by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. All mail should be addressed to:

PJR Reports Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility 2/F Ateneo Professional Schools, 130 H.V. dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City 1227

Phones: (632) 840-0889/(632) 840-0903 (632) 894-1314/(632) 894-1326 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.cmfr-phil.org

PJR Reports welcomes feedback and contributions on press and media issues. The publication of this issue is supported by a grant from the United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Democracy Fund with support from the Open Society Institute. 5PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 3 IN THIS SPEAKING OF ISSUE MEDIA PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 Biggest chill yet “Laigo’s contention that the complainants were fortunate the police did not file Carping About CARP counter-charges against them is not only KATHRYN ROJA G. RAYMUNDO ...... 7 “Effectively, the ruling puts journalists under the police, nay, at their mercy. misplaced; it is unjust. The filing of It signals to the police that next time any counter-charges (at one time seriously Does the Press Have a Disaster Policy? journalist disobeys them they can arrest contemplated by the Arroyo administra- DON GIL K. CARREON ...... 9 him, cuff him, haul him to jail, and de- tion) would have added abuse of the pro- The Meralco flap tain him. It is frightening to imagine cesses of the administration of justice to what, with such police and judicial the tactics of harassment. Mostly Heat, But Some Light mindset, can happen to practitioners in “The judge added: ‘the right of the KRISTINE JOYCE G. MAGADIA AND APPLE JEAN C. MARTIN ...... 10 the provinces, where they are particu- plaintiffs as members of the press as guar- larly vulnerable, as evidenced by the high- anteed under the Constitution was not Making Sense of Inflation Data est number of disappearances and kill- violated and trampled upon by the re- DANILO ARAÑA ARAO ...... 11 ings among their ranks. spective acts of the defendants com- Media and torture “Indeed, Judge (Reynaldo) Laigo’s plained of.’ A Culture of Silence ruling sends the biggest chill yet across “Again, we strongly disagree. As a MELANIE Y. PINLAC ...... 13 the media profession, because it kills a review of the reporting from the hotel journalist’s last chance at keeping his free- all the way to Camp Bicutan will readily Ethical dilemmas and the Drilon kidnapping dom—freedom that he exercises not for show, PNP officials were remarkably in- himself, by the way, but, as constitutional consistent about the reason for the jour- When Journalists are News watchdog on the powers that be, for all PJR REPORTS STAFF ...... nalists’ detention. Some even denied the 14 of society.” fact, calling the unusual action mere ‘pro- Commentary BusinessWorld on the June 29 decision of cessing’. (By such rationalizing misuse Publish and Be Damned Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Reynaldo of bureaucratic language are crimes by VERGEL O. SANTOS ...... 18 Laigo to dismiss the class suit filed by officials committed and covered up.) journalists and media organizations regarding Other officials hinted darkly at possible Commentary the Manila Peninsula incident, June 30 ‘obstruction of justice’—an incredible ac- A Reasonable Request cusation rendered even more unbeliev- LUIS V. TEODORO ...... 19 “The decision of Makati Regional Trial able by the casting of such a wide net. Court Judge Reynaldo Laigo to dismiss (At one time, the PNP chief and other the class suit filed by journalists and me- police officers pointed meaningfully in Covering War to End War dia organizations against the Philippine ED LINGAO ...... 20 the direction of certain journalists, al- National Police (PNP) for unlawfully ar- leging involvement in the escape of a resting journalists during the Peninsula Magdalo mutineer, but they have failed Newsbreak, PCIJ Lead JVOAEJ Winners ...... 22 Manila incident last November is a ter- to produce evidence to persuade even rible mistake. It misreads the context of fellow officers.) the journalists’ detention, it rewards the “We mustn’t also forget that the Arroyo Confessions of a Small Town Journalist police for unbecoming conduct. Not least, REDEMPTO ANDA ...... administration imposed a curfew that night 28 it adds to the erosion that has steadily un- for the first time since martial-law days. If dermined press freedom in the Age of it wasn’t clear then, it is transparent now: REGULAR SECTIONS Gloria.... The curfew was an attempt to gauge public “Judge Laigo said he found that the sentiment regarding the administration’s charges brought against the PNP ‘do not Editor’s Note...... 2 use of harsher measures. The ‘processing’ constitute sufficient cause of action for dam- of the journalists who covered the Pen inci- Speaking of Media...... 3 ages against the defendants that warrants dent was part of that plan.... Monitor...... 4 further prosecution of the instant case.’ “Full of confidence in the quality of the “We beg to disagree, not least because judiciary, this newspaper wrote last year: Crisis...... 24 the ruling does not accord with the real- ‘Let’s see if (the PNP chief) can find a Chronicle...... 27 ity that transpired on the night of Nov. friendly judge who will declare it a crime Obit...... 27 29. As we wrote in this space a couple of to cover...breaking news.’ Unfortunately, days after the Trillanes takeover Laigo has done just that. The effect of his telenovela: ‘very few would disagree that decision, which must immediately be ap- the way the police handled—or more ac- pealed, is to make it a crime to cover the curately, manhandled—the members of news—merely on the police’s say-so.” THECOVER the media who were covering the event bordered on ruthlessness.’ Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 30 The kidnapping of ABS-CBN 2’s “That, in fact, was the point: to make Cecilia Victoria “Ces” Drilon an example of the media. The use of plas- On libel provoked a spirited discussion tic tie wraps, the herding of news per- on ethical issues. sonnel to the buses, the gun-pointing and “In a working democracy, the free stick-beating, above all the inexplicable flow of information and ideas—even if insistence on identifying media workers there are mistakes and lapses—is crucial. inside a police camp, instead of on the Criminalizing libel tends to restrict that Cover photo by JOSEPH VIDAL scene (a scene already secured by thou- flow of information.” /HTTP://WWW.GMANEWS.TV sands of policemen)—all this was meant Journalist and educator Chay Hofilena, on to humiliate those who had the temerity Olivarez’s conviction, abs-cbnNEWS.com/ to cover the country’s latest spasm of Newsbreak, June 6, http://www.abs- military adventurism. cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=120833 4 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Baseless reports

Dear Editor, Although the writers did call VERA Files’ two-part report on the Philippine baselines “laudable,” it also said, N ITS April and May-June issues, the PJR Reports wrote “…the VERA Files reports missed out too in providing the about perceived ethical or journalistic lapses on the perspective of those experts opposed to UNCLOS who are Ipart of VERA Files. What your writers said about our not necessarily politically motivated.” work is baseless and wrong. That is sloppy writing. There are no “experts opposed The first article that mentioned VERA Files was “First to UNCLOS” because there is no opposing UNCLOS. LITO OCAMPO Quarter Shows Coverage Boost” by Hector Bryant L. UNCLOS is the United Nations Convention on the Law of Macale and Apple Jean C. Martin, which came out in your the Sea, which the Philippines ratified in 1984. It is a done Explaining inflation April 2008 issue. That story came with a sidebar that deal. It cannot be opposed. It will be implemented, whether CHEERS TO the Philippine Daily In- merely echoed what had already been published in the we like it or not. quirer for explaining the state of the papers—that Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri complained about If the paragraph just happened to have been sloppily economy and its effect on consumers. For the VERA Files story, “Ethical lapses mark passage of edited and the writers meant “experts opposed to the its June 6 banner story, the paper consulted biofuels law” by Jessica Hermosa and Johanna Sisante, baseline bill,” or “experts pushing to meet the UN dead- several economic experts to discuss the exposing him as having business interests in the Biofuels line,” then they should have read our report again because sharp increase in the inflation rate (“In- flation soars to 9.6%: Peso dives below Law he sponsored in Congress; that Zubiri insinuated some of our sources were scientists and lawyers who had P44 to a dollar as food, fuel costs rise”). Hermosa and Sisante misrepresented themselves when no political interest in the issue. The experts cited different scenarios which they told him they were University of the Philippines (UP) And your writers should have thought twice before say- could occur in the future and discussed its students doing research on biofuels; that VERA Files re- ing, “The highly technical baseline bills were largely ig- value to the development or worsening sponded by saying there had never been any misrepre- nored by the networks, which did not devote a single re- of the economy. The Inquirer also explained the consequences of double-digit sentation because the two were indeed UP students and port to it.” ABS-CBN 2, GMA-7 and the other networks did inflation to the consumers and the over- the report was originally part of a thesis submitted to the devote reports to it, some of which were based on the VERA all financial system. The article explained UP Journalism Department. Files reports. that if the government is unable to con- Why PJR Reports chose to highlight this point puzzles trol inflation, then the country would ex- us. It is a non-issue. Hermosa and Sisante strictly abided Yours truly, perience a phenomenon called “stagflation” in which “rising prices are by the interview conditions that were set in the course of aggravated by a stagnant economy their research. As you well know, UP journalism students Jennifer Santiago brought about by weak spending.” The are routinely sent out to cover stories and write news re- Chit Estella article also explained the reasons why the ports. They introduce themselves as students. If their work Booma Cruz government is giving subsidies to the meets journalistic standards, their stories are likely to see Yvonne Chua poor. print. The same is true with undergraduate or graduate Luz Rimban theses. Those that meet the standards get published. The Ellen Tordesillas PJR Reports should know because the Center for Media Free- dom and Responsibility publishes the Philippine Journal- The editor replies ism Review, which gets its material from both undergraduate and graduate theses. We research and write with pub- JR Reports regrets that not all of us can be as perfect. lication in mind. However, may we point out that the following are mat- Yet PJR Reports wrote, “VERA Files, however, did not ters of fact rather than opinion: (1) the PJR Reports moni- say whether Zubiri was informed that the interview was P tor of both networks’ primetime news programs shows that their also intended for mainstream publication. Journalism eth- reports were on the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking agreement ics demands that publication be made explicit through the and not on the baseline bills; and (2) among the experts who has interviewer’s identifying him or herself as a journalist.” opposed and continues to oppose the UNCLOS, despite its being Is PJR Reports suggesting that there should have been a “a done deal,” is former UP College of Law Dean Merlin Magallona REY BANIQUET/HTTP://WWW.OPS.GOV.PH different standard for Zubiri? who alleges a conflict between UNCLOS and the Philippine Con- The second article that mentioned VERA Files was the stitution and who has in fact written a primer on it. Forgetting May-June article “Reporting UNCLOS: Foundering in the Our point regarding the identification of the authors of the Shallows” by Don Gil K. Carreon and Kathryn Roja G. JEERS TO The Philippine Star for fail- VERA Files biofuels story is that journalists are required to ing to explain the significance of Raymundo. identify themselves as journalists to forewarn sources that what its own lead story. Last June 9, the Star’s The article supposedly studied how seven print, broad- they say will be published. The writers of the article in question “’Hot money’ fleeing RP” reported that cast, and online news organizations covered the issue identified themselves as students. But identification as students portfolio investments “continued to flow out of the financial market” in June. Al- about Philippine baseline laws. Yet its supposed findings does not imply publication of the material in the mass media. An centered only on three: The Philippine Star, the Philippine though it defined what portfolio invest- interview without the sources’ awareness that it will be for pub- ments or hot money meant, the Star did Daily Inquirer, and VERA Files. lication comes dangerously close to entrapment. n not explain the issue’s repercussions on the general public. Given the story’s prominent treatment, the Star could have PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 5

CHEERS JEERS related the issue to the interest of its read- groups have filed plunder cases against ers, some of whom may not understand ERC and Meralco officials for conniv- complex economic matters. ing to keep power rates high. While the report identified the people being The old into new charged and the cases being filed against them, it did not name the JEERS TO the Philippine Daily Inquirer groups or personalities behind the for trying to make a news story out cases. The paper did not provide any of an old issue. The article “Razon: Bigger further reports on their identities. story behind Lozada story” repeated the statements by government officials on the Biased reporting abduction of the national broadband network (NBN)-Zhong Xing Telecommuni- JEERS TO The Daily Tribune for a cations Equipment Company Ltd. contro- biased report on the conviction of versy witness Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. the paper’s publisher and editor-in-chief (May 17, p. A1). It claimed that it was the Ninez Cacho Olivares last June 5. police that saved Lozada’s life and that, The June 6 report “Olivares gets jail despite his own denials, he had sought term, P5K fine, P5M in damages from police protection. Makati RTC court” heavily relied on The Inquirer did not press Philippine Olivares’s reaction to the conviction, al- National Police Director General Avelino though it cited parts of the ruling handed Razon to explain what he meant when he down by Makati Regional Trial Court said: “There are things about it (the Razon and Lozada during Senate probe of the NBN-ZTE controversy. LITO OCAMPO Judge Winlove Dumayas. Lozada incident) that I cannot yet reveal.” It also accused Carpio, Villaraza and The article pursued an obvious govern- wonder,” May 26, Learning section, p. I). noting different natural sources where Cruz Law, the firm that filed libel suits ment spin by solely relying on the alle- The article had a table of tuition rates in farmers can source out their organic fer- against Olivares, of knowing what the gations of Razon and by not asking perti- Metro Manila colleges and universities for tilizer. verdict was even before it was announced. nent questions. Some “issues” the gov- undergraduate freshmen this school year But towards the end of the report, the Without citing any source, the article said ernment claimed were relevant at the and compared the rates of private and state story began to sound like an advertisement the media had been “tipped off by the law- time, such as the alleged attempts to oust colleges and universities. It also discussed when Catan was quoted as saying “…in yers in the Firm on the promulgation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo were the consequences of the increase in fees in the light of the sky-rocketing prices of (the sentence of) Olivares” and had allowed to go unchallenged. The article the University of the Philippines (P1,000 gasoline and diesel, Mapecon vermicast been“invited a day before by the Firm to also forgot to provide the background and per unit) as compared to the Polytechnic (organic fertilizer) is a definite alternative a press conference.” context of the NBN deal considering its University of the Philippines (PUP) which as has for years been proven by farmers.” consequences to the economy and to poli- charges only P12 per unit. But the article Catan is the founder and the executive tics and governance. could have explained how PUP still man- vice-president of Mapecon Green Char- ages to charge such low tuition in these coal Philippines. Mapecon stands for Ma- high inflation times. nila Pest Control, a company that recently branched out to agribusiness. An ad or a news report? Missing the who JEERS TO the Manila Bulletin for packaging an ad as a news report in JEERS TO The Manila Times for an a May 25 story. incomplete report last June 3 on the With fertilizer expert Gonzalo Catan plunder cases filed against officers of Ma- Jr. as its only source, “Food production nila Electric Company (Meralco) and need not be expensive, says fertilizer ex- former Energy Regulatory Commission pert” discussed how organic fertilizer can (ERC) officials. help lower the cost of food production, The Times reported that at least 10

Kho HTTP://WWW.LPP.GOV.PH No comment

JEERS TO the BusinessMirror for LITO OCAMPO running the one-sided story “Atlas Mining’s unpaid excise-tax arrears Adding it up questioned” last June 16. It failed to get the Atlas Consolidated CHEERS TO the Philippine Daily In- Mining and Development Corp.’s quirer for an article on the high cost response to Masbate representative of college education today. The Inquirer Antonio Kho’s allegation, that they showed that the average Filipino family disregarded a Supreme Court order income is not enough to pay for food, rent, mandating them to pay taxes to their and other expenses, much less for a child’s local government units. enrollment in any of the country’s top col- The report should have indicated if leges and universities (“The cost of col- Atlas refused or was not available to lege education: Do the math and weep and LITO OCAMPO comment. n 6 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS

CHEERS JEERS

ang sipag ng pangulo dahil ginawa niya ang school uniforms. He added there are Macapagal Arroyo’s way of getting back lahat ng ito sa gitna ng kanyang bakasyon enough teachers for each school and at the Lopezes for TV giant ABS-CBN 2’s (Again, the opposition failed to notice all enough books for students. allegedly critical reporting on the admin- the efforts of the president to attract in- Exposing Lapus’s empty claims, Bandila istration. vestments. The president’s dedication to interviewed the principal of a public school work is commendable because she did all in Pasig who lamented the lack of enough these during her vacation).” classrooms. The report also showed Teledyaryo failed to provide any back- schools in typhoon-devastated provinces ground of the controversy, to get the side that have no electricity, blackboards, and of the opposition, and even to ask if the chairs, and which use tents and covered meeting in China was official, why this courts as makeshift classrooms. Estrada LITO OCAMPO was not mentioned at the height of the controversy, and if the Arroyo adminis- You did it too, remember? tration still has more information on the cancelled NBN-ZTE deal it has not re- CHEERS TO ANC’s Pia Hontiveros vealed. HTTP://FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/JRAC2002 for reminding former President Jo- seph Estrada that his press freedom record Daboy over Biased is not as pristine as he remembers it. Independence Day In Top Story’s June 5 telecast, JEERS TO TV Patrol World for biased Hontiveros sought Estrada’s reaction to JEERS TO 24 Oras for choosing re- reporting. the libel conviction of The Daily Tribune ports about the late actor Rudy Last June 17, it reported the negative publisher and editor Ninez Cacho “Daboy” Fernandez over stories on this reaction of the National Historical Insti- Olivares. Estrada said the conviction shows year’s celebration of Independence Day. tute (NHI) to the June cover of Rogue, a that freedom of the press is no longer prac- LITO OCAMPO Last June 12, 24 Oras’s top four stories lifestyle magazine. The June cover and ticed in the country and lamented the cur- were all on the funeral of Fernandez who Pushing an agenda inside pages of Rogue had a nude model rent government’s tendency to file libel was laid to rest on the same day. Not con- covered only with the Philippine flag in suits against critics. He added that libel tent with a report that recapped what had JEERS TO Teledyaryo for pushing a body paint. NHI said the photos were of- should be decriminalized so this freedom transpired during the burial, 24 Oras also political agenda at the expense of fensive and punishable under Republic Act would be respected. aired reports on the program held during more important concerns. As the opening 8491 or the “Flag and Heraldic Code of Asked how government should deal the necrological service for the actor, the of classes neared, Teledyaryo mentioned the the Philippines”. with a critical press, Estrada cited his ex- reactions of different celebrities, the mes- preparations of the Department of Educa- Section 34 (e) of the Code states that it perience during the impeachment efforts sages of the actor’s family members, and tion including its efforts to ensure that is prohibited “to wear the flag in whole or against him where he said he did not lift a how many fans waited just to see the there are enough teachers and classrooms in part as a costume or uniform.” finger even when the press ganged up on burial. (May 29). It could have been a good story TV Patrol sought the reaction of the him. Estrada further said he also did not The Philippine government’s decision if only the report had explained in detail writer of the cover story. The writer, law- try to suppress media coverage of the im- to prioritize its “holiday economics” these efforts and their results. yer Argee Guevarra, told the reporter that peachment proceedings. policy or the practice of shifting holiday Instead, the report quoted the educa- the photos did not violate any provision Hontiveros though did not let Estrada observances to the nearest Monday had tion secretary, who said that electric util- of the Flag Code. However, the reporter off the hook so easily. She reminded the already minimized the significance of Phil- ity corporation Manila Electric Company added color to his story when he said: deposed president how he dealt with The ippine Independence Day celebrations last (Meralco) should prepare for the opening “Palusot ni Guevarra, bagama’t sinabing bawal Manila Times for the “unwitting ninong” June 12. of classes. Each one has a task to do to isuot ang bandila, wala namang sinabi na bawal article and his advertising boycott of the guarantee a pleasant, smooth, and safe itong ipinta sa katawan (Guevarra’s excuse: Philippine Daily Inquirer, which was opening. This is done yearly and all agen- Although the law states that the flag prompted by the paper’s series of critical cies know their responsibilities, Teledyaryo should not be worn, it did not say it could articles against him. quoted Lapus as saying. not be painted on the body).” To fault Meralco for the high price of Contrast this TV Patrol report with One-sided electricity is one thing, to blame it, no similar accounts from Bandila and Dateline matter how indirectly, for the problems Philippines. Bandila, the network’s late-night JEERS TO Teledyaryo for continuing of basic education is another. In April, a news program, did not use the word to serve as a propaganda tool of the possible government takeover of Meralco “palusot” (and instead used the word Arroyo government. Teledyaryo devoted supposedly as an effort to lower electric- “ayon”). Dateline Philippines, an English an entire segment to then Press Secretary ity costs was in the news. But this was news program shown in sister cable chan- Ignacio Bunye who criticized the opposi- widely viewed as President Gloria nel ANC, used the word “said”. n tion last May 16 for allegedly reviving Arroyo and her men RENY PAMPOLINA/PCPO scandals against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Photos of Arroyo, her Empty claims husband, and other government officials playing golf with Zhong Xing Telecom- CHEERS TO Bandila for highlight- munications Equipment Company Ltd. ing the appalling situation in pub- (ZTE) officials before the signing of the lic schools, contradicting Department of national broadband network (NBN) deal Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus’s Remembering had been made public at the time, reignit- claims otherwise. ing the NBN-ZTE controversy. Last June 10, Lapus said that in gen- CHEERS TO Bulatlat for not forgetting the plight of former overseas Filipino worker Teledyaryo came to Arroyo’s rescue by eral, the first day of classes had been “very (OFW) Norayda Katigan. The mainstream press largely ignored the story of faithfully reporting Bunye’s claim that smooth and very orderly.” Lapus also Katigan, a 26-year-old Maguindanaoan native jailed and allegedly maltreated in Syria “Bigo na naman ang oposisyon na makita ang boasted of the reforms that DepEd sup- where she worked as a domestic helper. Bulatlat featured her experience and current totoong punto na ginagawa ng pangulo ang posedly implemented this school year, condition in its June 4-8 issue (“To Hell and Back: The story of an OFW who tried to endure lahat para isulong ang investment sa including the non-requirement for el- everything to provide for her family,” http://www.bulatlat.com/2008/06/hell-and-back- Pilipinas...kahanga-hanga pa nga kung tutuusin ementary and high school students to wear story-ofw-who-tried-endure-everything-provide-her-family). n PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 7 n By Kathryn Roja G. Raymundo HE COVERAGE of the Comprehensive Agrarian Re form Program (CARP) bares media’s weaknesses in reporting public policy. In what has become a predict- able pattern, most of the reports lacked background, context, and analysis. TRepublic Act (R.A.) 6657, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), expired last June 10. But CARP caught media attention only a week earlier. R.A. 6657 was passed in 1988 under the social reform program of the Aquino administration and was extended for another ten years during the Ramos administration. CARL is the legal basis for the implementation of CARP, an asset redistribution program aimed at promoting social justice and industrialization. CARPING the blocking of H.B. 4077, rallied and made their wishes known in the House gallery. Only five segments in the television news programs of ABS- ABOUT CARP CBN 2 and GMA-7 covered From May 11 to June 20, PJR programs (TV Patrol World and 24 The press reported CARP CARP-GARB during the entire Reports monitored CARP stories, Oras), and three news sites (The only when Arroyo signed the ex- monitoring period. Each segment including reports on bills pend- Daily PCIJ, abs-cbnNEWS.com/ tension bill as urgent and both devoted a minute or two reporting in Congress particularly the Newsbreak, and GMANews.TV). the House and the Senate began ing an issue as complicated as CARP extension bill (House Bill their deliberations on whether to agrarian reform and the policies or H.B. No. 4077) and the Genu- Shallow reporting extend the law or not. CARP- on it. For instance, TV Patrol in its ine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB, The coverage uniformly GARB became an issue only after segment “1 Minute Patrol” re- or H.B. No. 3059), President failed to comprehensively dis- party-list representatives ex- ported the rally of about a thou- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s cer- cuss the issues of agrarian re- changed harsh comments on their sand farmers protesting the ex- tification of the extension bill as form. The media organizations opposing agrarian reform views. tension of CARP and the 20th an- urgent, and the clash of party-list monitored also allowed the is- Another event that was much niversary of the implementation representatives over CARP. sue to pass without reporting covered was the interruption of of CARL (June 10). Few who saw PJR Reports monitored three the discussions and debates the House of Representatives this report would have realized newspapers (the Philippine Daily crucial to better public under- hearing on the extension bill by that agrarian reform matters at Inquirer, The Philippine Star, and standing of the urgency of land a group of pro-extension farm- all and that it affects everyone. the Manila Bulletin), two news reform. ers, which out of frustration over The in-depth reports and analy-

Photos by LITO OCAMPO

The press did not comprehensively discuss agrarian reform issues. 8 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS ses on the policies on and conse- the country, CARP’s relevance to reform issue were providing in- quences of CARP were also con- the rice and food crises, and cor- formation and policy advocacy. spicuous for their absence. ruption allegations in the Depart- He also asked for continuing cov- In a PJR Reports interview, ments of Agriculture and Agrar- erage, emphasizing that once former agrarian reform secretary ian Reform (the fertilizer fund CARP-GARB is forgotten by the Florencio Abad said the media scam, the Agrarian Reform Com- media, the politicians will also lose were badly covering CARP issues. munities, etc.). These could have interest in addressing the issue. Abad claimed that media did not connected the policy to such cur- “Media play a big role in ad- bother to explain why CARP is rent problems as the rice crisis vocating social reforms. If they significant for the Philippine so- and poverty. would not themselves advocate, ciety in whole, the differences of then at least they should give opinion between the party-list ‘Word war’ enough space for advocates of groups in the House on the issue Bayan Muna Party List Rep. genuine agrarian reform to air of extension, the duplicity and hy- Teodoro Casiño, an advocate of their views, and to participate in pocrisy in the actions of the Presi- GARB, noted another shortcom- the bigger and broader debates dent as she certified the extension ing in the media coverage of on the issue,” Casiño said. bill urgent while her party and agrarian reform. Media have the relatives were voting against it, tendency to pit ideas and person- Online did better and the implications of a non-ex- alities against each other, he told KRISTINE JOYCE G. MAGADIA The online reports did better tension. He added these were PJR Reports. In the case of the CARP than print and broadcast. very important issues the people coverage, the rival groups were GMANews.TV reported studies need to understand. Unfortu- those for extension and those op- by IBON Foundation on the dis- nately, the media were failing to posed to it. Casiño said the media advantages of extending CARP, provide the information the tended to simplify the issues into provided a case study in Negros people needed. being pro-farmer if you favored Occidental showing the problems “The problem with media is the CARP extension, and being of agrarian reform, and discussed (they) work (too much) on bites. pro-landlord if you opposed it, the provisions of the CARP ex- But you know, it is hard to ex- whereas GARB proponents were tension bill as well as the GARB plain a program like this through precisely fighting for it and op- (“CARP extension meant to ben- bites and media gimmick lines. posing a mere extension of CARL efit landowners – IBON,” http:// You cannot (do that). You have in behalf of farmers. www.gmanews.tv/story/ to devote time (to the discussion The Star in its story “In lieu of 101838/CARP-extension-meant- of salient issues).” He suggested CARP extension, House okays to-benefit-landowners—IBON, the media should go back to the land acquisition, distribution” June 18; “20-year CARP fails to basics of CARP so as to get some reported the word war between end feudal relations especially in perspective from which to ana- Akbayan Party List Rep. Risa Negros Occ,” http:// lyze what is happening today. Hontiveros Baraquel and Bayan www.gmanews.tv/story/ Muna Party List Rep. Satur 100310/20-year-CARP-fails-to- Missing the context Ocampo and explained their dif- the trap of highlighting the per- The similarities and differ- end-feudal-relations-especially- That was exactly what the ferent views on what genuine sonalities in battle and in engag- ences plus the advantages and in-Negros-Occ, June 10; “House media did not provide. The pub- agrarian reform means (June 12, ing the public for the wrong rea- disadvantages of the House and defers CARP extension vote, en- lic was at most getting running page 2). It would have been bet- sons. Senate bills on agrarian reform raged farmers protest,” http:// accounts of the debates without ter, however, if the story had re- The GARB coverage came a rarely saw print or broadcast. www.gmanews.tv/story/ the background and context on called the histories and differing little later. Casiño explained that This failure of the media limited 100349/House-defers-CARP-ex- the agrarian reform issue needed orientations of both parties. GARB follows the “land to the the education of the public on the tension-vote-enraged-farmers- to understand it. The editorial “Unparliamen- tillers” slogan and seeks to cor- costs and benefits of CARP. Thus, protest, June 10). Only when Arroyo had certi- tary?” by the Inquirer also tried rect the “congenital defects” of it also limited the possibility of For its part, abs- fied the CARP extension bill as to sort out the conflict between CARL in terms of land coverage, developing a sound policy on cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak had sev- urgent did reports discuss the the two progressive party-list exemptions, and conversions. The agrarian reform based on the eral special reports which dis- plans of the House and the Sen- groups in the House (July 16, p.A CARP extension bill dominated opinion of informed citizens. cussed the progress of CARL be- ate to extend it for another five 14). But instead of reporting on the earlier reports with their own Casiño said the roles of the fore and during the Arroyo ad- to 10 years. policy formation, media fell into suggested reforms. media in furthering the agrarian ministration including the state Although there were a num- and position of the DAR on the ber of reports on the state of the extension of the bill. It also inter- extension bill and CARP, few viewed an agrarian reform ex- managed to exactly define what pert to address the most fre- CARP is, how it came about, and quently asked questions and mis- what its purpose is. The reports conceptions on CARP (“Arroyo’s also mentioned the benefits and/ lack of political will blamed for or failures of CARP. But media non-extension of CARP,” http:/ did not back up these claims with /www.abs-cbnnews.com/ independent case studies and storyPage.aspx?storyId=122116, other empirical data. The media June 20; “DAR sees CARP exten- barely discussed the effectiveness sion, asks for P162B more,” http:/ of the program and its actual con- /www.abs-cbnnews.com/ tribution to the development of storyPage.aspx?storyId=121234, agriculture and the economy. An June 10; “Slow CARP shows need assessment of the performance of to reform DAR, says former sec- the CARL and a presentation of retary,” http://www.abs- the different views on CARP and cbnnews.com/ GARB would have helped the storyPage.aspx?storyId=121537, public decide on the relevance of June 20; “‘Senators should not de- agrarian reform at present. mand an accounting when There were also several leads CARP’s life is on the line,’” http:/ the media should have pursued /www.abs-cbnnews.com/ but did not. Among them were storyPage.aspx?storyId=121216, the history of land ownership in The coverage of the debates on the CARP extension and GARB provided little context and even less analysis. June 11). n PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 9 DOES THE PRESS HAVE A DISASTER

Even in past calamities (photos on the page), the coverage of disasters was POLICY? lacking in substance. Photos by LITO OCAMPO were unsatisfactory. The Star’s The reportage Bright spots May 28 article “RP not ready for The press ably covered the natural disasters” did not explain on the aftermath of the typhoons by how the proposal will be imple- providing daily updates on prop- mented if passed while 24 Oras’s government’s erty and crop damage, the death May 27 report may have spooked toll, and the adequacy of the some of its viewers with its treat- disaster government’s search, rescue, and ment of the issue. relief efforts. 24 Oras cited Philippine Vol- mitigation and There were also some notable canology and Seismology Insti- follow-up reports on the tute chief Renato Solidum who preparedness government’s rehabilitation and said the 7.9 magnitude earth- policies remains reconstruction efforts. 24 Oras re- quake that hit Sichuan, China last ported last May 22 the education May could also hit the Philip- wanting department’s decision to take over pines. Nathaniel Cruz, chief of the reconstruction of some schools the Philippine Atmospheric, ...... in Zambales having found that the Geophysical and Astronomical destruction of infrastructure there Services Administration, was also ported the drowning of three sib- by Typhoon Cosme was aided by interviewed. Cruz said the lings in Dagupan after they were the use of substandard materials. agency expects 20 more typhoons swept away by floods caused by Two reports by the Inquirer to enter the country and that Typhoon Cosme. The report in- (“Central Luzon typhoon vic- some could be as destructive as cluded footage of the boys’ tims seek urgent help” and “Sta. Cyclone Nargis. Nargis ravaged mother wailing and crumpled on n By Don Gil K. Carreon Cruz town gets back on its feet Burma also last May. the ground while clutching a after ‘Cosme’”) last May 22 and The Star report however did relative’s leg. The boys’ father, 24 focused on how one of the ESPITE THREE typhoons’ leaving hun- not say how the government ex- who was still obviously dis- hardest hit towns by Typhoon dreds dead and billions of pesos in prop- pects to cope with such a calam- traught over his loss, was also Cosme was not getting enough erty and crop damage, the press has yet ity, while declaring that it did not made to recount how his chil- aid, with the provincial govern- to report how the government plans to mean to alarm people. dren were swept away by the ment overwhelmed by the mag- flood. Footage of the grieving prepare for the 20 more the weather bu- nitude of the damage and local Intrusive relatives of the passengers of the politics further complicating re- reauD says will be coming before the year ends. Some reports were too intru- sunken ferry were also included construction efforts. A PJR Reports monitor of sev- The press did not just focus on sive on the grief of the victims. in the TV Patrol reports of June Only the Inquirer was the only eral media organization’s cover- the government’s search and re- Last May 19, TV Patrol re- 23 and 24. one that explained fully how the age of the three typhoons that hit trieval effort for the victims’ bod- government’s disaster mapping the country found that their fo- ies. The reports also explained project is expected to work. In a cus was mainly on the extent of how the worst sea tragedies we May 8 report “Now, ready to get damage and the subsequent gov- have had to endure are largely at- out of harm’s way,” the Inquirer ernment response. tributable to the inefficiency of the identified the participating agen- The monitor period was from agencies charged with ensuring cies and their tasks, the provinces May 6 to 18 and included the the safety of maritime vessels. where the project is being imple- newspapers Philippine Daily In- The reportage on the mented and the other areas quirer and The Philippine Star, the government’s disaster mitigation where the government plans to news programs TV Patrol World and preparedness policies was implement it. and 24 Oras, and online news sites not as thorough, however. For On the other hand, Newsbreak of the Philippine Center for In- example, the press barely dis- reported last May 18 how gov- vestigative Journalism and cussed Senator Rodolfo Biazon’s ernment should also prepare for Newsbreak. proposal to pass a law for the climate change, which can cause mapping of the earthquake-and deadlier weather disturbances More misses than hits typhoon-prone areas in the Phil- and raise sea levels that will en- The sinking of Sulpicio Lines’ ippines. The disaster map would danger people living near coastal M/V Princess of the Stars was the provide the government with areas. The report suggested what most reported of the devastation data so it can prepare a calamity government must do to mitigate wrought by Typhoon Frank, so far contingency plan specific to dif- the impact of climate change and the deadliest among the typhoons ferent provinces. identified the areas most vulner- that have visited the country. Most of the reports on this able to its effects. n 10 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS n By Kristine Joyce G. Magadia and Apple Jean C. Martin The program did air the side of the Meralco management but did JR Reports’s follow-up on last month’s not give it enough air time to de- monitor of the media coverage of the Ma- fend itself. It also aired Garcia’s claims against Meralco without nila Electric Company (Meralco) contro- verification. Imbestigador also high- versy shows that media still failed to ex- lighted Meralco customers’ ire on plain such important issues as the reasons the company’s alleged inaction on behind high power rates. their concerns and even high- P lighted how the program itself Most reports on the Meralco stockholders’ meeting allegedly helped these customers. last May 27 portrayed the meeting as a contest for power NBN-4 was up to its usual between the Lopez family and the Government Service tricks. Teledyaryo, NBN-4’s news Insurance System (GSIS). Following the meeting, the program, aired a number of re- reports focused on the Meralco board’s supposed defi- ports criticizing Meralco for the high cost of electricity rates with- ance of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) out getting Meralco’s side. It re- cease and desist order and on the ensuing word war lentlessly emphasized govern- between such key personalities as First Philippine Hold- ment’s denial of plans for the ings Corporation chairman and chief executive officer takeover of Meralco, while claim- ing that GSIS control would re- Oscar Lopez and GSIS president and general manager sult in lower electricity rates. Winston Garcia. Teledyaryo emphasized the alleged efforts of the government to reduce power rates and to miti- THE MERALCO FLAP gate their impact on the public. Allegations of government officials against Meralco were presented in the reports without cor- roboration and without being MOSTLY HEAT, contested. Bright spots However, some reports did try to provide the public the information it needs on an issue BUT SOME LIGHT vital to millions of families’ daily survival. Those aspects of the issue news programs of GMA-7, ABS- The Inquirer published a two- most pertinent to the public’s un- CBN 2, and government-owned part special report last May 26 to derstanding of it remained unex- NBN-4; and news online sites 27 on electricity rates. “What plained. The media did not look from May 20, a week before the Meralco has been charging its into Garcia’s claim that GSIS stockholders’ meeting, to June 10. customers” provided a detailed could lower power rates by 10 to discussion of the different com- 20 percent two months after it Showbiz flare ponents of a Meralco electricity takes over the management of The media took up actress bill, while “Meralco swamped Meralco. Only a few reports Judy Ann Santos’s Meralco ad, but with refund claims” looked into checked if the intrusion of a court did not look into the others, and the refunds Meralco is obligated or a quasi-judicial body like SEC into the question of who was pay- to give. in a company dispute would have ing for them—an issue of special Although PJR Reports did not serious implications on corpo- relevance when it comes to the include it in its monitor, it should rate operations. obvious involvement of govern- be noted that The Manila Times re- Reports on the issue also did ment agencies. ported that the commission may not look into the impact of elec- The Santos ad, which earned Photos by LITO OCAMPO “scare away” and create “discon- tricity costs on the inflation the ire of various cause-oriented tent” on the part of foreign in- rate—an issue of public concern groups and opposition politicians, another. According to the adver- While dutifully reporting the vestors (“SEC intervention may in an era of high inflation. likened the systems loss to a piece tisement, charging consumers the complaints of various stakehold- scare away foreign investors,” Neither did the reports exam- of melting ice’s loss of volume as cost of systems loss is legal and ers against the infomercial, the May 28). The Times is one of the ine the impact on the 2008 na- it is transported from one place to government-approved. media did not verify if the claims first media organizations to dis- tional budget of President Gloria of the infomercial and other print cuss the effect of SEC interven- Macapagal Arroyo’s unsustain- advertisements placed by Meral- tion in the business community. able lifeline subsidies program. co as well as the government in While most other reports The government claimed that the the broadsheets and in the major failed to seek experts’ views, P2-billion budget for the lifeline TV stations were indeed factual. Newsbreak solicited Energy dole-outs was being sourced Council of the Philippines presi- from the value-added tax on pe- Biases dent and former Department of troleum products. However, the The competition between the Energy Secretary Francisco media did not check if it would networks was evident in the re- Viray’s perspective on such issues affect the budget for other gov- ports. The bias of GMA-7 against such as why the country’s elec- ernment projects or if it would its top rival—another Lopez- tricity rate has remained among affect the country’s debt payment owned entity—ABS-CBN 2 the highest in Asia (“Viray: obligations. showed, for example, in a June 7 Power sector reforms have been PJR Reports monitored the Imbestigador special report on the overtaken by events” http:// news pages of the Philippine Daily controversy. newsbreak.com.ph/ Inquirer, The Philippine Star, Ma- While the report had its posi- index.php?option=com_content nila Bulletin, BusinessWorld, and tive side, this was overshadowed &task=view&id=4726&Itemid BusinessMirror; the primetime when it became biased for Garcia. =88889065, May 22). n PJR REPORTS COMMENTARY JULY 2008 11 MAKING SENSE OF ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ INFLATION DATA Contextualization is key to writing relevant stories n By Danilo Araña Arao pared were April 2008 and May areas outside NCR, the year-on- 2008. The changes of prices are year figures were 6.6 and 9.0 per- sometimes not noticeable on a cent, respectively. An astute ob- OURNALISTS ARE expected to refer to official month-on-month basis. The dis- server may ask at this point: sources of information in writing and producing parity can be better appreciated “Why were these figures not their reports. There is, however, a potential failure by using a year- on-year compari- mentioned in the NSO press re- in giving relevant information to their audiences if son, in this case between May lease?” J they were to rely solely on government-issued press 2007 and May 2008 data. These and other important data are not explicitly stated in releases and to accept hook, line and sinker the analyses Missing figures that go with the data presented. The year-on-year FLW in- That press releases are jok- there is a need to relate the latter dex to which petroleum ingly referred to as “praise re- to pressing issues like the in- products belong was pegged leases” should prompt journalists creases in the prices of rice and at 8.2 percent nationwide as to proceed with caution in citing petroleum products. of May 2008. For NCR and the data and analyses they con- The NSO press release more tain. While some writers of press or less helps journalists in mak- releases try to be as factual as ing the correlation as it gives a possible, one cannot deny that breakdown of increases in the there are different ways of inter- FBT index. With regard to rice, preting data and it is likely that “(a)nnual price adjustments were the analysis will be done to fa- higher…at 31.7 percent in May vor the officials and offices con- from 24.6 percent in April” at the cerned. In addition, the data pre- national level. In the case of the sented could have been selected NCR, a “(h)igher annual price in- to achieve the same objective. crease was noticed in rice at 43.6 Social reality can be distorted percent in May from 38.4 percent not only by withholding the es- in April.” As regards other re- sential facts. There are also in- gions, “(a)nnual price changes in stances where all the data are rice posted in all the regions made available to the public but moved further higher…Inflation presented in a manner hard to rate for rice…accelerated to 30.1 understand. percent in May from 22.7 percent The National Statistics in April.” Office’s (NSO) report on the in- Once a journalist gets updated flation rate for May 2008 is an statistics from the Department of interesting case study of how Trade and Industry on the prices journalists should go beyond of rice and other commodities public pronouncements and to and includes these in his or her analyze carefully the publicly article, it would appear that the available data in the form of report is already complete. tables and charts. Proper contextualization, how- The NSO press release dated ever, is still important in analyz- June 5 provides in the first para- ing other important matters such graph potential headline-grab- as the effect of the series of oil bing information: “The year-on- price hikes on the country’s in- year headline inflation rate at the flation rate. national level further jumped to Interestingly, the increases in 9.6 percent in May from 8.3 per- gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and cent in April, the highest infla- Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tion since January 1999 (10.5%). were only mentioned in the last This was primarily triggered by few paragraphs of the NSO press the continuing higher annual release. It cited an increase in the price increases in the heavily- fuel, light, and water (FLW) in- weighted food, beverages, and dex by 0.7 percent nationwide, tobacco (FBT) index. The rest of with NCR posting a 0.3 percent the commodity groups also increase; and areas outside NCR, posted higher inflation rates dur- 1.0 percent. ing the month. Inflation a year Please note, however, that ago was 2.4 percent.” what was cited was a month-on- While journalists are expected month comparison, which means to cite the figures and the official that unlike the annual price ad- Petroleum prices increase almost on a weekly basis. This photo was taken in the last week of June. Analysts predict oil explanation behind the data, justments in rice, the data com- prices to reach as high as P70 per liter. LITO OCAMPO 12 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS the press release, but they may Proper be extrapolated by downloading the various multi-column infla- contextualization tion-related tables from the NSO website. is important in By computing the percentage analyzing other increases on a year-on-year basis (i.e., the difference between May important 2008 data and May 2007 data di- vided by the May 2007 data; and matters such as then multiplied by 100), one can the effect of the come up with statistics even more newsworthy than what is stated series of oil price in the official press release. Analyzing the consumer hikes on the price index (CPI) according to country’s region, for example, a journalist would find out that 11 out of 17 inflation rate regions had double-digit inflation, the highest being Region IX ...... (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 13.5 percent. With the exception of situation, these refer to the sud- Region XI (Davao) which had an den increases in the prices of rice inflation rate of 9.5 percent, all and petroleum products. the other regions in Mindanao The core inflation rate can had double-digit inflation rates. be useful in assessing the im- The same can be said for all three pact of monetary policy. Ac- regions in the Visayas. cording to NSCB, it can provide The extrapolated data pro- “a better gauge of the overall vide empirical evidence that in- state of the economy and a more creases in the prices of goods and reliable basis for economic services are felt in most prov- LITO OCAMPO policymaking.” inces. worth only 65 centavos in real That the May 2008 core infla- To make the inflation rate fig- terms (See Table 1). This means Table 2: Average headline and core inflation rates tion rate of 6.2 percent is lower ures more relevant to the people, that a person needs one peso to- (in percent) 2005-2008 than the headline inflation rate it is also necessary to present the day to buy goods and services ...... of 9.6 percent should not be eas- purchasing power of the peso worth only 65 centavos eight HEADLINE INFLATION RATE CORE INFLATION RATE ily dismissed as a result of sim- (PPP) based on the CPI figures years ago (i.e., 2000 is the base 2005 7.6 7.0 ply excluding six items from the (For basic information on the CPI year currently used by the gov- 2006 6.2 5.5 computation. A journalist should and PPP, including how to com- ernment with regard to the CPI). carefully analyze the core and 2007 2.8 2.8 pute the latter, please see my ar- A journalist may also add in headline inflation rates through ticle “Reporting Inflation” pub- his or her report that the value of 2008 (May only) 9.6 6.2 the years (See Table 2). lished in the Philippine Journalism the peso has been eroded by 35 Source: NSCB In 2005 and 2006, the differ- Review of June 2002, pp. 43-44). percent (i.e., the difference be- ence between headline and core In any case, computing the tween 1.00 and PPP multiplied by ARMM has the lowest purchas- NSO press release, was pegged at inflation rates was less than one PPP based on the May 2008 CPI 100). Analyzing the regional data, ing power of the peso (59 6.2 percent in May 2008. percentage point; and in 2007, no would show that one peso is one may also mention that centavos) which translates to an According to National Statis- difference at all. What proves to erosion of its value by 41 percent tical Coordination Board (NSCB) be remarkable in May 2008 is the (See Table 1). Resolution 6 (series of 2003), core 3.4-percentage point difference. TABLE 1: Purchasing Power of the Peso The data serve as quantifiable inflation is the “year-on-year rate This indicates that the current May 2008 proof of the complaint of under- of change of the monthly head- price fluctuations of excluded ...... paid workers that their wages are line CPI after excluding food and items in the core inflation rate, CPIPPP EROSION not enough to make ends meet. energy items.” To be more spe- particularly rice and petroleum Philippines 153.9 0.65 35% Comparing the nominal and cific, core inflation is based on the products, are steeper and more NCR 154.6 0.65 35% real value of the money people headline inflation and excludes sudden than in the past three Areas outside NCR 153.6 0.65 35% have today, a journalist could get the following items which ac- years. updated statistics on wages from count for 20.2 percent of the CPI: The challenge therefore re- the Department of Labor and Em- CAR 154.5 0.65 35% mains for journalists to deeply ployment and compute the real 1. Rice (11.82 percent); analyze the official data. Contex- Region I (Ilocos) 154.4 0.65 35% value of, for example, minimum 2. Corn (1.23 percent); tualization remains the key to Region II (Cagayan Valley) 148.2 0.67 33% wage earners in all regions. All 3. Fruits and Vegetables making stories relevant to the Region III (Central Luzon) 151.6 0.66 34% s/he has to do is to multiply the (5.35 percent); audiences, and they deserve no Region IV-A (CALABARZON) 150.5 0.66 34% nominal wage by the PPP of the 4. LPG (0.68 percent); less from journalists whose man- Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) 151.4 0.66 34% respective region. 5. Kerosene (0.40 percent); and date is to help shape public opin- Region V (Bicol) 151.7 0.66 34% 6. Oil, gasoline, and diesel ion. n Region VI (Western Visayas) 150.9 0.66 34% Low wages, low purchasing (0.72 percent)...... Region VII (Central Visayas) 160.0 0.63 38% power Danilo Araña Arao is an assis- Theoretically, the difference Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) 151.3 0.66 34% A careful scrutiny of the data tant professor of journalism at the would show a startling reality between the headline and core University of the Philippines Col- Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) 156.7 0.64 36% with regard to ARMM: it has the inflation rates should be negli- lege of Mass Communication where Region X (Northern Mindanao) 159.7 0.63 37% unfortunate distinction of having gible if the economy were stable. he is concurrent director of the Region XI (Davao) 158.1 0.63 37% the lowest minimum wage (non- The computation of the core in- Office of Research and Publication. Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) 154.0 0.65 35% agriculture) and the lowest pur- flation rate, after all, leaves out He is managing editor of the Phil- Region XIII (CARAGA) 158.1 0.63 37% chasing power. of the equation what the NSCB ippine Journalism Review ARMM 169.5 0.59 41% Another angle worth report- described as “transient distur- (PJR), the refereed journal publi- ing by journalists is the core infla- bances” on the CPI. In the con- cation of the Center for Media Free- Source of basic data: NSONote: PPP=1/CPI x 100; Erosion=(1-PPP) x 100 tion rate which, according to the text of the country’s economic dom and Responsibility. PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 13

ating procedure in arresting and investigating suspects—just like n By Melanie Y. Pinlac how law enforcement agents see MEDIA AND TORTURE it, Conde said. Some police and defense re- OT ONLY porters even join in torturing sus- the ineffi- pects and prisoners. Ed Lingao, cient jus- ABC-5’s News Operations department head, said some re- tice system porters, cameramen, and pho- but media tographers punch suspects as well have contributed to A when they are brought to the N CULTURE police stations. “Once they “a culture of silence” even mistook a complainant for among victims of torture. a suspect,” he said in Filipino. This was one of the main points raised in a Manila-held Steps taken forum on torture. The Interna- To address the problems on tional Rehabilitation Center for OF SILENCE reporting torture, human rights Torture Victims (IRCT), the Inter- groups have launched an international Federation of Human national awareness campaign on Rights (FIDH), the National torture prevention for the media. Union of Journalists of the Phil- For example, the FIDH and IRCT ippines (NUJP), and the Balay Re- have organized workshops and habilitation Center organized forums for the media in 10 coun- the day-long forum “Torture: Is tries where there is a war on ter- it happening Again in the Philip- ror. Loraine Dela Cruz, IRCT pines?” last June 25 at the Council of Leader and Balay Richmonde Hotel in Pasig City. In celebration of the United Board chair, said during the fo- Nations Day in Support of Tor- rum that they “want to help es- ture Victims, the forum updated tablish a network of international journalists on the international journalists involved in human and local campaigns against tor- rights reporting. These jour- ture. The forum also served as a nalists…will receive training in venue to examine media cover- analyzing and reporting on hu- age of torture in the Philippines. man rights matter with focus on torture in the context of the fight A common practice against terror.” Local human rights groups The United Nations Conven- also said they are willing to part- tion Against Torture and other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or De- ner with media groups to hold grading Treatment or Punish- forums on torture prevention. ment defines torture as “the in- Asian Human Rights Commis- tentional infliction of severe sion executive director Basil physical or mental pain or suf- Fernando shared how good re- fering for purposes by, or with porting on a young torture victim which came out in the Sri the consent of, the state authori- Journalists Arguillas, Conde, Nery, and Lingao discussed media coverage of torture in the forum. LITO OCAMPO ties for a specific purpose.” The Lankan media encouraged other Optional Protocol to the Conven- 2007 BBC survey showed that 40 The media’s Participants observed that victims to come forward. tion Against Torture (OPCAT) percent of Filipinos interviewed many news reports that do get Media groups have also that the Philippine government believe that the torture of pris- misunderstanding aired or printed often suggest formed modules for human signed in April 2008 bars the use oners is permissible to a certain that acts of torture are permissible rights reporting in the Philip- of torture in all circumstances. extent. It placed the Philippines of torture has and normal. For example, such pines. The Human Rights Report- But the presence of OPCAT third along with Indonesia reports are often biased against ing Project (organized by the In- and other international laws among 25 countries that view resulted in suspects, and ignore the fact that stitute for War and Peace Report- prohibiting torture has not pre- torture as permissible. suspects also have rights. News ing together with NUJP, The common view that tor- underreporting it programs often air crime reports MindaNews, and the Center for vented the practice of torture in ...... the Philippines. A fact-finding ture is permissible and the inef- showing a complainant or police- Community Journalism and De- mission by IRCT, FIHD, and the ficiency of the justice system com- the Philippine correspondent for men slapping, punching, or kick- velopment), uses their modules Philippine Alliance of Human pel most victims to keep their the New York Times and Interna- ing suspects. By airing this kind in forums they launched nation- Rights Advocates found that tor- experiences to themselves in fear tional Herald Tribune, explained of reports, the media predispose wide. The group also provides ture is widely practiced in the of ostracism and retaliation, the that some journalists and sources their audiences to convicting sus- space for human rights stories in Philippines. According to the speakers said. view human rights and torture pects even before they are tried. its website (http://www. mission report, police and mili- reporting as a form of advocacy Some journalists report petty rightsreporting.net/). tary agents use torture against Blind on torture that compromises objectivity. crimes rather than police/state Philippine Daily Inquirer col- suspected terrorists and crimi- Unfortunately, most media As a result, most reports on brutality in fear of losing their umnist John Nery also sug- nals, while non-state armed practitioners also assume the per- torture and human rights viola- sources. “We’ve heard of tales by gested that the media “help cre- groups use it on their captives. missibility of torture and thus tions appear only in the alterna- our colleagues being ostracized ate a climate for telling torture They also cited the lack of local contribute to its continuing prac- tive press. “What these media out- in their beats and being ignored stories…where stories like tor- criminal laws on torture and the tice in the Philippines. lets (alternative press) have in by their sources for their report- ture can be told in comfort, and victims’ having the burden of The media’s misunderstand- common is that reporting on hu- age on human rights,” Conde in some safety without ques- proof as factors in the widespread ing of torture has resulted in man rights is part of their advo- said. “In other words, human tions of credibility and extrava- practice of torture. underreporting it. News on tor- cacy. Perhaps more importantly, rights and torture are subjects that gance.” After all, as Fernando Many Filipinos also view torture and other human rights vio- they don’t operate in the same en- can emasculate the journalist.” said, the willingness of victims ture as a common and normal lations seldom get printed in the vironment as the mainstream There are also journalists who to talk is what’s critical in tor- procedure in law enforcement. A mainstream media. Carlos Conde, press,” he added. accept torture as standard oper- ture reporting. n 14 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS

The released ABS-CBN 2 n By the PJR Reports staff news team with Sen. Loren Legarda Joseph Vidal/HTTP:// OULD IT have improved the prospects WWW.GMANEWS.TV for peace negotiations between the Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) and the government if ABS-CBN 2’s Cecilia Victoria “Ces” Drilon had obtained and aired that ex- Wclusive interview with the bandit group’s new leaders she said she was after? Should peace negotiations between a police problem like the ASG and the government be on the national agenda at all?

versity professor who was kidnapped along with Drilon, told the Manila Mainichi Shimbun that the ASG is not linked with Al Qaeda as has been repeatedly claimed, but is a “locally-grown organization” supposed to be known as the Al Harakatul Al Islamiya. (Al Qaeda) never created this so-called ASG. This ASG is the creation of the Phil- Dinampo ippine military,” said Dinampo. The group has not had much Al Jacinto/HTTP://WWW.GMANEWS.TV of a media presence after its Both questions are crucial to the leader Khadaffy Janjalani main ethical issue, unremarked by and senior ASG com- many commentators, that was at mander Abu Sulaiman the heart of the Drilon kidnapping were killed in September episode. Mostly dismissed as a 2006 and in January 2007, spent force and no more a terrorist respectively. It has re- organization than a common kid- ceded in the national nap-for-ransom gang operating in consciousness primarily Manila would be, any interview because it is correctly with ASG leaders aired over a ma- perceived as no more jor network would have re-con- than a bandit group that ferred on it the status it once had as deserves police action a supposedly separatist rebel rather than peace ne- group, thus putting it on the same gotiations as a gov- level as formations with clear po- ernment response. litical aims like the Moro Islamic Was the story Liberation Front. The capacity to on the new lead- confer legitimacy and status is in- ership of the ASG herent in the mass media. then worth risk- The ASG gained notoriety in the ing life and limb? late 1990s as a supposedly terrorist Drilon said it her- organization with its bombing, as- self after she and Ethical dilemmas and sassination, and kidnap for ransom the other hos- operations. Eventually, however, its tages—ABS-CBN 2 lack of any clear political aim made cameramen Jimmy it clear that it does not even qualify Encarnacion and the Drilon kidnapping as a terrorist group, the definition Angelo Valderama and of which includes having a political Dinampo—were released by program. It does qualify, however, their abductors that she had gravely as a group that uses terrorist meth- endangered the lives of her col- ods for non-political aims. leagues. The experience was sober- As for its origins, Octavio ing, she said, and no story is worth WHEN Dinampo, the Mindanao State Uni- any life. JOURNALISTS

Drilon ARE NEWS AKP IMAGES PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 15

Two days after the request, the press started regularly covering developments on Carroll’s kidnapping until her release on March 30, 2006.

Common practice In the monthly journal Editor & Publisher , Jay DeFoore wrote in his article “When Covering Iraq Kidnappings, Caution Can Save Lives”: “(E)ach kidnapping situation is different, information is often sketchy, and there’s no clear consensus on how to negotiate a hostage’s freedom, much less how the media should operate.” Television grab of Carroll while she was in captivity “This much is known: the desire to suppress media coverage, HTTP://WWW.WINDSOFCHANGE.NET especially in the early stages of a kidnapping and particularly with journalists working for well-known news organizations is a fairly common, and sometimes beneficial practice,” DeFoore wrote. MEDIA AND Coverage about the two-day captivity of Paul Taggart, a freelance photographer kidnapped in Baghdad in October 2004 KIDNAPPINGS was likewise diminished, with “perhaps twenty news organizations” taking part in an embargo, the Columbia Journalism Re- view (CJR) reported. EXPERIENCES “They (news media) feared that reporting on the case would give the kidnappers their desired publicity, and end with yet an- FROM OTHER other sinister beheading video,” CJR said. Quoting a statement from Taggart’s photo agency, DeFoore wrote that the news blackout on the kidnapping could have been COUNTRIES instrumental in Taggart’s release because “there was no value placed n By JB Santos on him, he was never sold up the river and put in a yellow jumpsuit.”

WHEN NEWS spread that Jill Carroll, a stringer for the interna- Non-entity tional daily Christian Science Monitor (CSM), had been ab- There are instances however when the publication of a news ducted in Baghdad, Iraq on Jan. 7, 2006, some United States story about a kidnapping could help the victim. news organizations reported receiving an e-mail message from “It could alert the populace of the crime and produce clues. Marshall Ingwerson, managing editor of the CSM, requesting It could marshal opinion against the abductors for kidnapping that “media please honor a news blackout on the a woman (in Carroll’s case),” the Slate report stated. kidnapping…pending further notice. We ask this out of respect DeFoore also wrote that a collective silence could also give to the journalist and the ongoing intensive effort to save her.” the impression that the kidnapped journalist is a non-entity and The Associated Press (AP), which was among those who is therefore of no value. granted the request for a news blackout, explained that the “re- “The thinking goes that if the kidnappers don’t know that quest was made to give authorities an opportunity to resolve the they’ve got a big fish, they may throw it back,” DeFoore said, while incident during the early hours after the abduction.” at the same time also cautioning that “kidnappers, however ruth- The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Ange- less, aren’t stupid…A simple Google search can often unearth a les Times also granted the request for a blackout. AP ran a story treasure trove of a working journalist’s prior work.” about the kidnapping, but did not mention Carroll’s name or CSM. Professor Dipak Gupta of the Institute for International Se- The online magazine Slate reported on “How To Cover a Kid- curity and Conflict Resolution at San Diego University was quoted napping” that although the “blackout pretty much held in the by the American Journalism Review (AJR) as differentiating be- American press until the CSM lifted it two days later, some tween two kinds of kidnapping: one purely for money, and an- Baghdad hands resisted.” other for political purposes. Slate reported that on the day of the kidnapping, John According to Gupta, in cases where the kidnappers are advo- Fiegener of Fox News said that the “press couldn’t treat the Carroll cating political ideologies, publicity is a big issue, but in in- story differently than other kidnappings,” and that “the news stances where kidnappers only want money, “press coverage has had already hit the wires.” Noting CNN’s early coverage of the little impact.” event, an Agence France Presse reporter stated that “we can’t Tina Susman, an AP reporter held hostage in Somalia in keep a blackout if CNN is running it.” 1994 and whose plight, upon AP ’s request, was not made known Lourdes Garcia Navarro of the National Public Radio in the until after she was released on July 8, or 20 days after her abduc- United States meanwhile told colleagues in an e-mail sent a day tion, believes that the media blackout in her kidnapping helped after the kidnapping about her reluctance to play “news police” in her release. for very long. “These kidnappers who were holding me were young, arro- In the same report, Washington Post managing editor Philip gant thugs who wanted attention as much as money… If they had Bennet said the Post’s delay in publishing news about the Carroll gotten the impression they had their hands on a real celebrity, kidnapping did not reflect a “double standard”. they would have been a lot tougher,” Susman told AJR. “We have in some instances withheld information about Unlike the Philippines’ Ces Drilon, however, Carroll, Taggart, non-journalist kidnap victims in Iraq at the request of a family or and Susman were abducted in places where there are far more ex- investigators who persuaded us publication would endanger treme conflict situations. But every hostage situation, whether the the victim,” Bennet said. victim is a journalist or non-journalist, is an extremely volatile situ- New York Times executive editor Bill Keller was quoted in the ation with its own set of peculiarities, with the news media dealing report as saying: “Our default position is that we publish things. with a matrix of unknowns. ABS-CBN 2’s Bong Osorio in fact stated If the information is reliably sourced and of public interest, and that asking for a news embargo on abductions of their staff is not if the presentation is fair and accurate and cogent…we publish company policy and will be on a “case-to-case basis”. it. It sticks in our craw to keep interesting or important informa- For DeFoore, however, media’s treatment of hostage situation to ourselves. Not publishing is the exception and we need a tions boils down to a simple concept. good reason for it. But we will listen to an argument. If someone “Ultimately, the decision of what to publish and when should makes a plausible case that withholding information will save come down to a simple calculation: are we doing more harm than a life, we’ll listen.” good in publishing this?” n 16 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS

What’s the story? But what exactly was the story Drilon’s team was chasing after despite the risks involved? More than four weeks after the abduction, ABS-CBN 2 executives were still mum on what story Drilon and her cameramen had risked their lives for. The network, they said, is conducting an investigation on whether Drilon had breached coverage protocols, thus resulting in the abduction. Nothing is so far known about the story, other than Drilon’s ad- mission that the team was doing research on a story on the “new” ASG leadership. As veteran journalist and me- Indanan mayor Alvarez Isnaji and son Haider Isnaji Photos by RUY MARTINEZ/HTTP://WWW.GMANEWS.TV dia critic Vergel Santos rightly asked in ANC’s Media in Focus last June 10, the media giant said radio station dzBB of rival net- Ressa told Media in Focus last June them,” Santos said. “It becomes last June 26: “(W)hat did she take that “(u)ntil we learn more de- work GMA-7 reported Drilon was 26. “We were powerless to do any- complete as it is revealed.” Santos the risk for? What exactly was tails, ABS-CBN News requests “missing” but that “the kidnap- thing or say anything to stop it.” said the network should have the story she was chasing?” The other media to report on this ping has yet to be confirmed.” ABS-CBN 2 was not so pow- called a press conference so the risks a journalist take depends matter with utmost consideration Given the absence of details erless. They could have reduced public would know what is go- on the story and the public infor the safety of our news team.” in the reports, it would seem that the level of speculations on the ing on, as the case clearly interest involved, added Santos, Most of the major media or- withholding the story until the abduction. When ABS-CBN 2 volved public interest. who is chair of the editorial ganizations based in Manila facts came in would have been asked other news organiza- Anti-crime advocate Teresita board of the BusinessWorld. “You granted the network’s request. more prudent. However, ABS- tions to initially withhold re- Ang See had a similar view. Cov- take the greatest risks for the The coverage by the Philippine CBN 2’s “gentle request” could ports for the safety of hostages, erage of the incident cannot be greatest story.” Santos also Daily Inquirer and GMA-7, for ex- have been better understood if it did it divulge such details as helped because of the subjects serves as a member of the board ample, began in earnest only two had released the information it Drilon’s reason for going to involved, she said. ABS-CBN 2 of trustees of the Center for Me- days after the abduction. had, and justified the request for Sulu? At what time did the net- should have issued regular news dia Freedom and Responsibility. Elsewhere in the country, an embargo on the basis of its lim- work know that Drilon’s group bulletins to the media to lessen Maria Ressa, who also ap- particularly in the Visayas and ited nature. As it was, its refusal was missing? When did ABS- speculations and rumors on the peared in the same Media in Focus Mindanao, radio stations and to provide the information al- CBN 2 confirm the group had abduction. “The media indulged episode, was asked if Drilon’s story community newspapers re- ready in its possession contrib- been abducted, and how? These in a lot of speculation,” Ang See was worth the risks she took. “In ported the abduction as soon as uted to the speculation and lim- details could have strengthened told PJR Reports in a phone inter- management view, it was not,” they learned that Drilon was ited information that character- rather than weakened ABS- view last July 12. said Ressa, who is head of ABS- “missing”. Among these were ized the reporting on the incident CBN 2’s case for an embargo What is clear is that the press CBN 2’s news and current affairs. community papers Mindanao Ex- in the first few days. and helped stop the spate of in- should have followed up the cir- That was ABS-CBN 2 aminer and Sun.Star Cebu and gov- Justifying the need to hold the accurate and misleading infor- cumstances regarding the “em- management’s view, but the ernment-owned stations NBN-4 story, Ressa cited the abundance mation on the kidnapping. bargo” and abduction. But more question for journalists is and dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. Accord- of false and inaccurate informa- ABS-CBN 2 should have pro- than a month after Drilon’s group whether the risks involved in ing to a June 10 The Manila Times tion in first days following the vided the public with facts as was freed, and Drilon suspended getting the story were worth it report, at least three radio sta- kidnapping. soon as possible, Santos said, dif- for disobeying orders not to pur- in terms of providing the public tions—dzIZ, dzEC, and dzXL— “Maybe in the first four days, I fering with the network’s deci- sue the story, most of the details information vital to the continu- also reported the abduction last would say 98.9 percent of what sion to ask for an “embargo”. of the incident are still unknown ing need for it to understand June 9. The report added that the came out publicly was false,” “We give the facts as we get to the public. The excuse that ABS- what’s happening in the prob- CBN 2 was not releasing those lematic areas of Mindanao. details does not wash. The news organizations could very well ABS-CBN 2’s ‘gentle request’ have checked other sources and For the most part the Philip- documents that are already avail- pine press failed to take up and able to fill in the gaps discuss these ethical and profes- The June 8 abduction in Sulu sional issues. Press coverage, es- was the first and biggest case in pecially in its first days, focused recent memory when a network on ABS-CBN 2’s “gentle request” asked other news organizations for a “news embargo” on reports to temporarily hold reportage. on the June 8 abduction. That angle should have been pur- The network requested media sued further. outlets to withhold information on the abduction from June 9 up Debates in the community to 6 a.m. of June 10. “The request The decision by some media was made primarily for the secu- organizations to grant ABS-CBN rity and safety of Ces and her com- 2’s “request” sparked debates in panions. At that time (June 9), we the journalism community, espe- did not know what their situation cially about imposing a “news was. We don’t want to speculate embargo” on similar cases in the on any information that would future. Complicating the issue jeopardize their safety,” the re- further was that three of the hos- ports quoted Bong Osorio, ABS- tages were media practitioners CBN 2 head of corporate commu- themselves. nications, as saying. National Union of Journalists In ABS-CBN 2’s first public of the Philippines chair Jose statement regarding the incident JOSEPH VIDAL/HTTP://WWW.GMANEWS.TV Torres Jr. said initial reporting of PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 17 the incident could have angered the abductors and put the lives of the captives in greater harm. But he also stressed the need to inform the people in the community where the abduction hap- COVERING CONFLICTS pened. Torres said the decision n By Hector Bryant L. Macale of their roles and ready to drop all other volve your government and its agencies. family MUST be kept fully informed on whether to release the news commitments should the worst happen. • Beware of the limitations of exter- and up to date and helped to cope calls for a “balance on the part of JOURNALISTS CAN draw lessons Consideration should be given to busi- nal advisors. They can only advise. Nor- with news media interest, which could editors and a question of ethics.” from the June 8 abduction in ness continuity when key personnel are mally, they can not negotiate directly or be intense. They must be shielded “Lives and the people’s right diverted to the hostage crisis. make decisions on behalf of the organi- against uninformed rumor and specu- to be informed should be bal- Sulu, especially in covering con- Staff at risk of abduction, either in zation. Generally, government agencies lation. Critically, they must not hear anced,” Torres told the Inquirer. flict areas and crisis situations, their daily work or on likely assignment cannot negotiate a concessionary settle- of developments from the news media “If the information is all clear, as well as on journalist safety. to a danger zone, should also be pre- ment and then claim never to negotiate before they hear from the captive’s then that should have been the The International News Safety Insti- pared, preferably through participation with terrorists or pay ransoms. employer. time the story should been out.” tute (INSI), a global institution estab- in an appropriate safety or hostile envi- • Key considerations of the team will • Contingency plans should be While some camps accuse the lished in 2004 to promote journalist ronment training course. INSI can pro- include: a) thorough investigation of the in place to deal with any direct com- media organizations of conniv- safety worldwide, has guidelines when vide guidance on this. facts, b) assessing the options, c) a news munications between the kidnappers ance to temporarily conceal the journalists are hostaged in conflict ar- Staff likely to encounter danger must blackout, keeping in mind they can only and the family. The family should be abduction, and claim that it was eas. “Most kidnappings are carried out draw up and deposit with senior man- be maintained for a short time, d) com- dissuaded from trying to open up a clear display of ‘arrogance’ and for financial gain or to achieve political agement a document recording their per- munication with the family, staff and the their own channels. These moves an ‘unethical reaction’ by the objectives, which could include discon- sonal details, comprising at least name, media, e) working with advisors, f) busi- could have devastating effects on the media, the Inquirer’s editorial last tent with the news media,” according to date and place of birth, passport num- ness continuity, i.e. maintaining normal hostage and the overall negotiations. June 12 (“Judgment call”) under- INSI (http://www.newssafety.com). ber, job designation, photograph, any operations, and g) arranging funds (a • Protracted periods of silence scored that “this (news embargo) “Whatever the reason—terrorist, politi- known medical condition, religious be- large number of successful outcomes are can follow confirmation of a hostage- was not a case of professional cal, criminal, revenge—the outcome usu- lief and next-of-kin to be contacted in achieved after payment of ransom). taking. During this period, family and solidarity trumping public inter- ally is the same: a highly emotive situa- case of emergency with full contact de- friends can become despondent, feel- est, but precisely, public interest tion where a threat is made by an exter- tails, as well as other details considered Hostage ing that nothing is being done. It is of demanding a thorough vetting of nal, often unknown, force intent on pur- relevant to local conditions. Freelancers • Be courteous and cooperative. the greatest importance that the fam- the story before its release to a suing its own agenda with the target as a should deposit the same with their com- Answer all questions truthfully. Assume ily feels the organization cares and is society already jittery about re- tool.” missioning organization or a reliable your kidnappers know a lot about you, doing its utmost. Even when nothing newed prospects for conflict in “Ransom demanded can be money, friend or family member. your background and your reporting. is happening, communication must Mindanao.” a political concession such as a prisoner NB: A “duty of care” must be demon- • Keep alert and exercise regularly if be maintained. Of critical importance Pointing out the result of the exchange or a public action by a news strated by the organization to its em- possible. Try to develop a structure and is a first-rate liaison person, who is incident, the Inquirer editorial organization in favor of the kidnappers, ployee, especially if the person has been routine to your day and maintain a posi- fully appraised of activities in the said: “An embargo should now e.g. broadcast or publication of exposed to the danger in course of his or tive attitude. operations room and fully in tune with be standard operating procedure unedited publicity material,” the INSI her work. Organizations must ensure they • Eat and drink at every opportunity, the family. This person must be able for all media in the initial hours also said in its guidelines. do their utmost —and are seen to —to re- even if you do not like what you are of- to communicate with the company at of a kidnapping.” The safety of Here is the rest of INSI guidelines cover and rehabilitate the individual, fered. If the food or hygiene makes you the highest level of the crisis team. hostages should be a paramount on coping with situations in which otherwise legal liabilities can be in- sick, inform your captors. Generally, they • Consideration must be given to consideration, the paper added media practitioners are hostaged. curred, not to mention a dramatic plunge will need you in good shape. the general health of the family, per- last June 12. in staff morale and loss of public esteem. • Prioritize your requests carefully sonal finance issues, employment News blackouts should be ide- Preparation (e.g. would I prefer a radio or an extra and education issues and house- ally observed in every kidnap- When a kidnapping is blanket?). hold help. ping incident until after the re- This can happen at any time to any confirmed • Do NOT attempt to escape unless lease of the hostage whether he news organization, not just those in con- an obvious opportunity arises. A failed Release or she is famous, Ang See told flict zones. It is prudent for any news or- Organization attempt usually will result in harsher de- • Ensure medical and, if appro- PJR Reports. ganization to have ready a core crisis • Activate the initial crisis manage- tention conditions, or worse. Can you priate, evacuation services are on To University of the Philip- team of senior news executives which ment team, which will remain constant trust neighbors or passers-by for help— standby. The released captive should pines journalism professor and can take an immediate decision on the until the incident is resolved. or would they be friends of, or frightened undergo a medical examination as PJR Reports editor Luis V. Teodoro, nature of the incident whether it is real or • Establish an operations room with by, your captors? You can however plan soon as practicable. journalism’s ethical rules apply to a hoax. Behind that initial response good communications, including a dedi- for a rescue attempt and think of safe • The captive may be suffering every story, whether the subject team will be a broader team of top edito- cated incoming-only phone line, with re- cover should it happen. post-traumatic shock. It is recom- is a journalist or not. rial and general management personnel cording facilities, for the kidnappers. Set • Remember: 1) play it safe, 2) keep mended they be closely monitored for “When ABS-CBN 2 asked for which will take over if the threat turns out up a dedicated PC with Internet access. fit and focused and 3) be courteous and at least the first 48 hours of release. an embargo, the details of the to be genuine. That team would usually • If the incident involves a staffer in cooperative. Counseling should be considered for kidnapping were not yet avail- include a chairperson with direct access a foreign country, identify a local lan- captive and family in the awareness able, and lives were at stake. to the highest level of the company, plus guage speaker within the organization Family that the effects of being held hostage Public interest could have been Human Resources, Legal, Finance, Pub- who can speak to the abductors in their • This will probably be the most have been known to last for years. even more compromised by in- lic Relations, and Editorial Managers. own tongue. This should be the same stressful situation they will ever have en- accurate reporting, even as the One person must be charged with being person throughout. Identify key local countered—the life, safety and well-be- Death ethical rule of compassion ap- the company’s link to the family of the staff or stringers who can tap their own ing of a loved one held by people to whom • All must be aware of and pre- plies as well to vulnerable col- missing person for the duration of the sources for information. Assign a senior moral considerations are irrelevant. The pared for this possibility. leagues in the profession as crisis. person from Head Office to the country to captors will view the family as a key pres- • Every effort must be made to much as to sources and news sub- The teams must comprise top deci- run the situation on the ground. sure point to achieve their aims. confirm the death. jects who are at risk. In this con- sion makers. This is a life-or-death situ- • Consider the need to withdraw all • The family will want the ransom paid • The family must be protected text, the request, which specified ation, often with large sums of money in- other personnel from the same area or immediately to secure the swift release of against unconfirmed rumors and a time limit as is usual in em- volved. The reputation of the company same or similar stories. their loved-one. Other considerations such must be informed immediately if con- bargoes, was reasonable. may also be on the line. The people in the • Decisions should be made as a as “this will set a precedent” or “this will firmed. “We can take issue with the team may find themselves involved in a team, using specialist consultants if affect the safety of our other staff in the • Preparation must be made for wisdom of Drilon’s pursuit of highly emotional, stressful, exhausting, possible, with regular reviews as neces- area” will be irrelevant. The concerns of the the dignified retrieval of the body. This the story that put her and her and prolonged incident. sary. All communications, deliberations family could be in conflict with the con- might not be possible for a time. Nev- team in jeopardy. The Abu These teams should be designated and actions should be logged for later cerns of the news organization. ertheless efforts cannot cease until Sayyaf is receding into obscurity now. They may never need to be activated evidential review. • The organization should assign a the loved one is returned to his or her and deserves that fate. But but the people involved should be aware • Decide to what extent you will in- contact person to the family fulltime. The family. n Drilon’s safety was totally sepa- rate from that issue.” n 18 JULY 2008 COMMENTARY PJR REPORTS ○○○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ PUBLISH AND BE DAMNED The story should have been made public as soon as verified

n By Vergel O. Santos nappers routinely threaten, ABS- at risk from premature publicity. CBN 2 tried to manage the news Public security and national in- A news blackout It was the second half of the by campaigning for a blackout, terest would not have been O PUBLISH or not, and did in fact get some media to harmed by a one-day embargo but, again, publish proposition that proved conten- did come down tious: when to publish—could the go along. that denied the public only ten- when? news have waited? They may have all been con- tative information. At that stage, all the same, T vinced in their hearts that they the primary concern was the That was the central Asked that precise question in one widespread proposition to the debate light of requests from Drilon’s were doing the right thing, but safety of the hostages.” network, ABS-CBN 2, for the me- still they should be able to square Doronila reckoned that “a enough, incited by the kidnapping it with the basic principle that one-day embargo” was all it of television journalist dia to hold the story, I replied: considering The story should have been governs their profession, the would take to ensure the safety Cecilia Victoria “Ces” made public as soon as verified. very reason indeed for which it of the hostages (in fact, the black- alone that the Drilon and three compan- Indeed, it was a story whose ur- exists—the people’s right to out took longer). How he worked ions in Sulu last June 8. The gency could not be overstated: it know. And if they insist on this his arithmetic of life assurance to most widely one case as a moral exception, such precision—a day’s allow- first half of the proposition was the first case of kidnapping circulated after a long lull in a place notori- they will be expected to judge ance, not two days’, not three, not should have been easy ous for it. That made it only every comparable case that longer—I am afraid I would not newspaper and enough to resolve, since, proper that the alarm be sounded comes along by the same stan- be able to follow. Neither would without question, the kid- so that the public might be roused dard, otherwise they will open I his point, as he picked on my the widest- from any false sense of security. themselves to the suspicion that own, about there being after all napping was news—some- they are applying it no “complete story” to tell. reaching thing of public interest, af- But what about the captives’ safety? That, on other hand, was discriminatorily. “He (me, that is) said publish- broadcast fecting or bound to affect the conscience question that But what exactly is that stan- ing the story should have alerted the lives of enough number dogged ABS-CBN 2. Afraid that dard? So far as I can discern, it is a people in Sulu [who could] be network took of people, requiring there- further harm might come to them variable and ineffable one, set by ‘lulled into a false sense of secu- if the story became public, as kid- what feels right in one’s heart at rity,’ adding that the complete part in it fore to be made public. the moment. Journalists are story had to be told to...lessen given wide latitudes, but still speculation,” Doronila said. I was they have to validate their judg- quoted quite faithfully, but ments and actions against certain Doronila went on to quibble, express rules and principles. “How could a ‘complete story’ be At any rate, events have over- told on the basis of sketchy and taken the debate. In fact, probably still developing events?” even before ABS-CBN 2’s call for Doronila could have been a news blackout went out, the only quibbling, because it is dif- story had been out in public, ficult to believe a man of his years heard first and nationwide on and stature in daily journalism dzBB, on the day itself of the kid- unfamiliar with the sense of com- napping, and posted on the pleteness that applies to a news Mindanao Examiner’s Internet site story: a collection of material the next day, the same day I my- that, properly marshaled and self got it in text messages, re- packaged, provides a clear, accu- peated or updated through the rate, and complete account of an night and into the next day. event—meaning, whole enough Which gives cause to wonder to be able to stand by itself; in what practical purpose a news the standard guide phrase in the blackout might have served. newspaper business, fit to print But a news blackout did come for the day. down all the same, one wide- Indeed, in the general sense, spread enough, considering no story can be complete. And for alone that the most widely circu- a “running story” such as the kid- lated newspaper, the Philippine napping of Drilon and her com- Daily Inquirer, and the widest- panions, it is only further re- reaching broadcast network, vealed as it is chased or as it de- ABS-CBN 2, took part in it. velops on its own, so that to wait Defending the blackout, In- until a story is thus complete be- quirer editorial consultant and fore telling it is to wait till king- columnist Amando Doronila dom-come. n wrote: ...... “If I were the editor...I would The writer adapted this com- have found it reasonable to agree ment for the PJR Reports from a piece he had published in the June JOSEPH VIDAL/HTTP://WWW.GMANEWS.TV to the embargo primarily on the grounds that human lives were 15 issue of the BusinessWorld. PJR REPORTS COMMENTARY JULY 2008 19 A REASONABLE ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ REQUEST Compassion applies as much to fellow journalists as to news sources and subjects n By Luis V. Teodoro which they are expected to treat as the Moro National Liberation The caution their news subjects. This is a fairly Front and the Moro Islamic Lib- HE NEED to craft and implement guidelines in clear assumption in most codes eration Front despite its being no needed of ethics, including the Philippine more than a bandit group? the coverage of crisis and conflict as well as for Journalist’s Code. The legitimization of a group included not Tsafety training have not been lost on Philippine The Drilon episode raised whose depredations are no more only temporarily media organizations. The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster other issues which should have than a police problem, in the con- ng Pilipinas, as well as broadcast giants GMA-7 and ABS- been the major focus of any dis- text of a society in which there holding the cussion on the ethical side of it. are other groups with far more CBN 2 among others have adopted internal guidelines in Certainly a major concern is legitimate demands, is the kind story because it the coverage of conflict and crisis, and have provided safety whether the story—an interview of news “management” we can was not yet training under the tutelage of security professionals for jour- with the Abu Sayyaf Group’s new do without. n nalists who cover crisis and conflict. leaders—merited the effort at all...... known what If Drilon had indeed obtained it, A longer version of this comment Unfortunately, journalists “manage” the news. If Santos was would the story not have thrust appeared in the June 27 issue of exactly was the tend to ignore their media orga- in the minority in taking that the Abu Sayyaf back into the na- BusinessWorld, where the author story. Lives nizations’ own guidelines when position, it was because “manag- tional stage, putting it on the same writes the weekly column “Vantage on the trail of a story that could ing” the news as it has come to level as such political formations Point”. were also at risk outdo the competition as well as be understood in journalism enhance their own careers. These since the John F. Kennedy years often outweigh other consider- of media manipulation implies ations, in some cases resulting in the use of deceit, whereas the journalists themselves’ becom- ABS-CBN 2 request was a ing part of the news. straightforward request. Judging from her own admis- The details of the story were sion that she ignored the instruc- not yet known during the first tions of her editors, the kidnap- hours of Drilon and company’s ping of ABS-CBN 2’s news an- disappearance. The first ABS-CBN chor Cecilia Victoria “Ces” 2 statement was itself not certain Drilon was in this category of if she had been abducted, and re- errors. But she was nearly a casu- ferred to her only as “missing.” alty not only of her focus on get- Given the absence of details and ting an exclusive, but also of the certainty as to what happened, the network wars: the competition story could have been held for for ratings that has defined the some hours without harm to the relationship between ABS-CBN 2 public interest. It was not clear and GMA-7 for over a decade. whether ABS-CBN 2 had only lost That competition was a contact with Drilon or if she had subtext in the reportage of both been abducted, in which case there networks on the Drilon kidnap- was not yet any pressing public ping. GMA-7 reporting was thus interest to justify the release of subdued specially when Drilon incomplete and possibly inaccu- was released, while that of ABS- rate reports. In fact, public inter- CBN 2, in the days following the est could have been harmed by abduction itself and its request the release of such reports. for media organizations to hold Once what had happened had the story, was the opposite. been fairly established, reportage But that was not the main served both public interest by bone of contention as far as ethi- providing the public an accurate cal issues went, although it account, as well as given ABS- should have occupied a promi- CBN 2 the benefit of the assump- nent place in the debate that en- tion that it made the request be- sued. Instead it was the ABS-CBN cause premature reportage could 2 request to other media organi- have imperiled Drilon and zations to hold the story—for an company’s lives. embargo of several hours—and The caution needed included some of the latter’s granting it, not only temporarily holding the that occupied the media. story because it was not yet The ABS-CBN 2 request was known what exactly was the story. condemned by some media ob- Lives were also at risk. The ethi- servers, among them Business- cal imperative of compassion ex- World editorial board chair tends to journalists’ treating each AKP IMAGES Vergel Santos, as an attempt to other with the same concern with 20 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS

COVERING WAR TO END WAR n By Ed Lingao

EVEN YEARS ago, I peered out into the jungle from a cramped Spickup truck, with a loaded and cocked M-16 in my hand and my heart in my throat. All around me, in the darkness, a hundred eyes seemed to peer back from behind every tree in the forests of Basilan. It was not one of my prouder moments, and I knew there could be ethical ramifications; but at that time and place it seemed to make all the sense in the world to hold on to that rifle. Photos by LITO OCAMPO Journalists are trained to shoot with the pen; give us a gun and gun. He wisely chose to hang on hard-shelled centipedes, and was at all times. Preferably, we most of us would try to write a to his tripod instead. wept? would travel as a group. profile about it. To top off all the ironies of Seven years later, we faced the Then someone popped the But I had taken the mayor’s that night, the mayor was just same dilemma. A small group of So one night, we called a question—should we not arm warning to heart. It was night, the headed back to his town after a print and television journalists meeting. Colleagues from ABS- ourselves? At least give ourselves road had disappeared, and we meeting in Basilan’s capital of had converged again in Jolo to CBN 2, GMA-7, ABC-5, The Phil- a fighting chance? After all, this were in Abu Sayyaf/Moro Is- Isabela. He was just going home. cover the kidnapping of an ABS- ippine Daily Inquirer—everyone was Jolo, where guns were lamic Liberation Front (MILF)/ Long after, I would ask my- CBN 2 news team. They were all was a competitor, yet at this mo- aplenty. If goons could easily get bandit country. Just hold on to it, self: what would I have done had familiar faces, veterans of past ment, everyone was an ally. The guns, so could we. The debate he said. When the shooting starts, there been an ambush? Would I conflicts. But it sometimes takes first thing we agreed on was that went around and around, with you will know what to do. Be- have jammed the barrel out the a veteran to know when the odds we should all work together to just as many for as against. The hind us, in a dump truck with the window and let loose a wall of are stacked against him. Now we see this crisis through. The issues pros argued for an active defense rest of the mayor’s security de- lead like Rambo on a happy day, were all targets for anyone with involved here were bigger than while the cons pointed out that tail, my assistant cameraman was or would I have fallen to the a gun—and in Jolo, everyone has any ratings game. So everyone handguns are not a good match offered an M-60 light machine floor, curled up like one of those more than one. should know where everyone against rifles, especially if you PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 21 are trapped in a vehicle and the How many reporters go to a war bad guys are standing around zone with even a rudimentary you. In the end, we decided to ask knowledge of the issues in- Task Force Comet for a marine volved? How many reporters security detail to tag along wher- know about the 1996 MNLF peace ever we went. deal, and why it was so troubled I realize that editors would from the start; or the 1976 Tripoli balk at the kinds of debates that Agreement? How many report- go on at ground level among the ers even know where Tripoli is? newsgatherers in conflict areas. How many know of the history After all, I am an editor myself, of the Tausugs, and why they see and many times I have had these themselves as the warrior soci- uncomfortable thoughts too. But ety? Why do they seem to love coverage in conflict areas has its Conflict reporting weapons so much? I would not own dynamics, and while we answer these questions, because would always argue against a presents a unique every journalist who dares to double standard, it would be set of realities travel to these places should more unfair to foist the same set have, at least, the courage to visit of expectations for those who and demands a the library or do research on the cover press conferences on those net. who cover conflict. different set of Then there is the physical responsibilities preparation. I always carry a can Together or two of food in a pouch when I Travelling as a group, for ex- from those that travel outside city limits, along ample. journalists with a camelbak full of water. It goes against the grain for a Plus extra cellphone batteries, an journalist to surrender his com- lounging in press extra cellphone, a waterproof petitiveness and roam with a parka, penlight batteries, a pack. At least, it should. That offices in Manila cellphone charger that works on smacks so much of cartel and pack face penlight batteries, two flash- journalism, where stories that are ...... lights, an emergency foil blanket submitted differ only in their that costs P200, and my own bylines. Still, on a dangerous de- Zamboanga. The Abu Sayyaf handycam with its own set of ployment, I would at times con- probably had the same orders, batteries and tapes. This is my sider travelling with a group of except that journalists were to be primary load, designed to keep other journalists, perhaps from deported to their lair for an in- me alive, keep me in touch, and another medium like print or ra- voluntary vacation in their keep me and my equipment dio, although preferably not from mountain resorts. This will always be a touchy sponsibility, and more discern- working. If I still have the space, the competition. But on a particu- I remember how we watched issue. The easiest thing for a jour- ment so that they do their job well then I bring an extra shirt, and larly hazardous assignment, I each others’ backs, not for fear of nalist to do is to ask for an escort and not endanger the people they maybe an MP3 player. When they may merge my team with a much being scooped, but for fear of los- from local authorities, assuming report on, or the next team that ask me why I look like I am go- bigger group, sometimes to in- ing more colleagues. When sol- they are friendly and not likely takes their place. ing off to war, I reply that I am. clude the competition. diers approached, we ran together to be your next kidnappers. But If we allow conflict journal- Lastly, conflict journalists and This does not happen often; and hid. When travelling to the riding around with an armed es- ists all these freedoms, we should their respective media outlets like everything in conflict cover- outskirts of Jolo (and there, it cort is not likely to endear you to also impose a higher set of stan- need to show much more account- age, one considers everything seems everything is in the out- the local populace. It also limits dards on them. ability. Why do the TV networks logically, then weighs what it skirts), we took comfort in our the places you can go to. You can- Better, more contextual report- never wonder why some report- feels in the gut. But it does hap- collective misery. not, for example, talk to rebel ing, for example. The bane of con- ers almost always seem to have pen, and only someone who has When I disappeared for a few sympathizers with a marine hov- flict reporting is the police re- those spectacular footage of never left a desk would call that hours to phone-in some reports, ering behind you. But they pro- porter who thinks that there is no firefights, where camera angles cartel journalism. Ironically, I my colleagues, including Raffy vide a sense of security that, at difference between covering are so well crafted that they al- have seen more of that in beats Tima of competing station GMA- times, keeps bad people away. crimes and covering conflict. Dur- most seem…directed! On many where the most hazardous thing 7, looked for me for hours, be- Escorts give you more freedom ing former President Joseph an occasion, I have had frontline a reporter faces is a paper cut. fore asking the local police for and security to move; but they Estrada’s all-out war against the officers offer to stage a “simula- This sometimes happens in help in finding me. “Inisip na lang limit your access to real informa- MILF, some TV networks took the tion” so that I would have good conflict coverage, not because of namin, sana hindi pinahirapan si Ed tion. Plus, you never know who alarming step of sending police “combat” footage. They almost laziness or the mutual fear of be- (We just hoped they did not make they are reporting to while you reporters to cover the war in seem offended when I say no. ing scooped, but because of the Ed suffer),” recalled former In- do your own reporting. Obvi- Mindanao. Some fared well, and What is wrong with that? They basic idea that there is safety in quirer shooter Dennis Sabangan. ously, there is a trade-off; it’s a moved on to better things; others wonder. They have done it for numbers. These are the times It was said half in jest, but there matter of deciding what you showed that they should have just this or that famous reporter in the when it is more important to was a grain of truth to it. Then, as want to achieve in a particular stayed in their favorite police pre- past. This is war, by God! If you watch, than to stab, each others’ now, Jolo is not a place to let your coverage. In the case of the ABS- cincts instead of inflicting them- did not catch it on tape, we will backs. guard down. CBN 2 hostage crisis, we decided selves on an already troubled gladly hold another one for you! In 2000, the unimaginable In Baghdad, my cameraman it was more prudent not to add land by merely reporting on body Unfortunately, war report- happened in Jolo, Sulu: journal- and I adopted a Lithuanian jour- to the list of hostage victims. counts and stereotypes. A good ing has taken on the sexy im- ists from bitterly competing net- nalist, named Luthos. He seemed The fact is that conflict report- number of them could not tell the age it does not really deserve, works and wire agencies banded lost at first, until we learned that ing presents a unique set of reali- MILF from the Moro National sending the ambitious but not together, covered together, ate he had covered alone in Afghani- ties and demands a different set Liberation Front (MNLF) from the necessarily scrupulous or together, and even slept together stan and Chechnya. He would of responsibilities from those that Abu Sayyaf. I thought that was an bright in the direction of the in one room. It was the height of join us in cooking breakfast in our journalists lounging in press of- exaggeration, until I heard the an- gunfire. They forget that we a military offensive in Jolo, and hotel balcony while the bombs fices in Manila face. For this rea- chor of a major TV network state, cover wars because we want authorities had banned all news- fell. Laughing and joking we son, conflict journalists require on the air, that they were all the them to stop. We cover wars be- men from the islands. hardly understood each other, more lattitude, more flexibility, same since they were all Muslims. cause we wish that someday we The threats came from all but kept each other sane. and more freedom to do their job Edwin Angeles would have would no longer have to. n sides. The military had orders to and come home alive. But at the scratched his head if he were still ...... pick up any journalist found in A different reality same time we need to demand alive. Ed Lingao is the head of the ABC- Jolo and to deport him or her to And then there are the escorts. more accountability, more re- And, preparation. A lot of it. 5 News Operations department. 22 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS

Top awardees from Newsbreak: Glenda Gloria and Roel Landingin.

Prime Sarmiento receives her plaque from former Amb. Bienvenido Tan, CMFR board member Maribel Ongpin, and Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ. Photos by LITO OCAMPO

The JVOAEJ this year scanned more than one source of the print media for investigative data, such as interviews, and explanatory articles pub- documents and/or stud- lished in 2007, and then focused ies; on the urgent issues of human 2. Ethics – The article must rights, the environment and gov- meet the universally ac- ernance and corruption to en- cepted standards of pro- courage reporting on these issues. fessional journalism in NEWSBREAK, This year, “Trapped in a web terms of relevance, fair- of lives” by Glenda Gloria pub- ness, accuracy, balance, lished in the December 2007-Feb- and other ethical stan- ruary 2008 issue of Newsbreak and dards; “The battle for Manila’s gateway” 3. Technical proficiency – PCIJ LEAD by Roel Landingin published in The story must exhibit the September-December 2007 an above average level issue of Newsbreak were judged of writing skill/style the best human rights and gov- and must show ability ernance reports, respectively. to communicate com- JVOAEJ WINNERS Each received a plaque of distinc- plex material so that it EWSBREAK MAGAZINE and the tion and a cash prize of P70,000. can be understood in a Philippine Center for Investigative The board of judges named manner that appeals to the environment story “What’s readers’ interest; Journalism (PCIJ) won the top awards swimming in your soup?” by 4. Timeliness and Impact on th in the 19 Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Prime Sarmiento of the PCIJ and society – The story must Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ) for works published in Malaya on Nov. 27- be of current relevance; published in 2007. The results were announced during the 28, 2007 recipient of a plaque of 5. Clarity – The story must N merit and a cash prize of P25,000. explain its subject to the annual JVOAEJ ceremonies at the Asian Institute of Manage- The selection of the prize ordinary reader/lay- ment last June 26. The Center for Media Freedom and Re- winners was based on several cri- man who is not a spe- sponsibility (CMFR) has been the administrative and techni- teria. Each entry must: cialist on the subject. cal secretariat of the JVOAEJ since 1990. 1. Have a minimum The Canadian Embassy length of 1,000 words; awarded the Marshall Mc- 2. Be written by a Filipino Luhan Prize, a travel study journalist or a group of tour of Canada, to Gloria. This Filipino journalists, is the 12th year that the Cana- whether freelance or af- dian Embassy has awarded the filiated or regularly Marshall McLuhan Prize in the employed in a news or- JVOAEJ. ganization; The Australian Embassy 3. Have been published in named Landingin as the recipi- a newspaper or maga- ent of the Australian Ambas- zine of mass circulation sador’s Award, a travel grant to in the Philippines for Australia. It was the sixth time the period under con- that the Australian Embassy sideration (Jan. 1, 2007 presented the Australian to Dec. 31, 2007). Ambassador’s Award in the JVOAEJ. In addition, the entries must The JVOAEJ was launched in adhere to the following: 1990 to honor the late Jaime V. Ongpin who was secretary of fi- 1. Sourcing – For corrobo- nance during the Aquino admin- ration, there must be istration. A press freedom advo- PJR REPORTS JULY 2008 23

Finalists from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Some of the top prize winners and finalists.

cate, Ongpin was involved in the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship and was instrumental in harnessing public support for the restoration of democracy. The JVOAEJ this year was sponsored by the Open Society Foundation Media Program and the Ateneo de Manila University. The finalists in this year’s JVOAEJ awards were:

“Palace document shows gov’t plan to neutralize Left” Norman Bordadora and Michael Lim Ubac “Garci was here” Philippine Daily Inquirer Miriam Grace A. Go July 16-17, 2007 Newsbreak July-September 2007 “The road to Italy” Gemma Luz Corotan “Bridging the digital gap” Newsbreak Allison Lopez, Riza Olchondra, September-December 2007 and Juliet Labog-Javellana with reports from “Inside PCGG 21 years later” Julie S. Alipala Fernando del Mundo, Margaux Chief: Fernando del Mundo C. Ortiz, Jerry Esplanada, and Philippine Daily Inquirer Daxim L. Lucas with reports Dec. 27-29, 2007 from TJ Burgonio and Lawrence de Guzman “Malansang balak ng Hapon sa Philippine Daily Inquirer Pilipinas” Feb. 22-25, 2007 Soliman A. Santos and Kenneth Roland A. Guda “Environmentalists to govt: Pinoy Weekly Manage garbage, don’t promote Oct. 17-23, 2007 landfills, dumps” Nora O. Gamolo All the finalists received a The Manila Times plaque and a cash prize of Oct. 28-29, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2007 P10,000. n

Around 200 participants attended this year’s JVOAEJ. 24 JULY 2008 CRiSiS PJR REPORTS NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL

CMFR statement on the court dismissal of Manila Pen class suit A BLOW TO PRESS FREEDOM THE CENTER for Media Free- several coup attempts against dom and Responsibility the Aquino government. The (CMFR) looks at the dismissal system for control of the press by the Makati Regional Trial was clear during the Martial Court (RTC) of the class suit it Law period, and there was little filed with other media organi- of this kind of manhandling of zations and individual journal- journalists at work. There is no ists as particularly alarming, such clarity for the protection and agrees with counsel Harry of the press during this admin- Roque that it could yet be the istration. biggest blow to press freedom The license appropriated by to date. this regime, its stretching the The ruling was issued in the meaning of the law to include context of a clear policy by a putting the “right” of the gov- regime hostile to press freedom ernment to arrest those it claims and the people’s right to infor- to be obstructing justice above Olivares LITO OCAMPO mation to do all it can, both the constitutionally protected within and outside the law, as freedom of the press had to be Olivares, publisher of The Daily well as to stretch to the limit stopped, together with its pre- Tribune, guilty of libel for a June Journalists covering the Manila Pen siege LITO OCAMPO what is legally allowed, to deny sumption that there is a right 23, 2003 article, “Firm’s Partners NATIONAL they were so lucky as none had the press its Constitutionally- way and a wrong way for the Ensure Victory of AEDC.” The been initiated against them,” the guaranteed right to cover events media to respond to crisis. article alleged that then Ombuds- Judge dismisses case filed decision said. of public interest, and, therefore, Deciding whether to stay man Simeon Marcelo chose Article 151 of the Revised the public’s right to information and to continue to cover a de- people connected to his own law by journalists against Penal Code pertains to penalties on such matters. The arrest of veloping story, or to with- firm, Carpio Villaraza Cruz Manila Pen arrests regarding the “resistance and journalists during the Peninsula draw from the scene is the edi- (CVC), to handle a complaint by disobedience to a person in au- incident was not only an attack torial prerogative of a consti- one of its clients against the win- A MAKATI Regional Trial thority or the agents of such per- on the press but on democracy tutionally protected press. No ning bidder in a controversial Court (RTC) judge dismissed a son.” itself. regime has the right to dictate build-operate contract for the class suit filed by journalists and Laigo said the statements is- In that incident, the regime that a decision to stay and cover Ninoy Aquino International Air- media organizations against sued by government officials stretched the definition of ob- is wrong and can be penalized. port Terminal III. Olivares is also government officials who following the Peninsula Hotel struction of justice to include These issues, all vital to the ca- the editor in chief of and a col- caused the arrest of several incident—defending the arrests press coverage, and used that pacity of the press to do its umnist for the Tribune. dozen journalists covering a and warning journalists that the excuse to abuse journalists mandated duty of providing Olivares’s lawyer Alexis press conference by rebel sol- same thing could happen in the even after the so-called military the public the information it Medina said he is weighing their diers on Nov. 29, 2007. future should they refuse to fol- rebels had been taken into cus- needs, are among those that the options on whether to file a mo- The P10-million suit was filed low police orders—have not vio- tody. It arrested and hand- class suit sought to resolve in tion for reconsideration to in response to the arrests and lated press freedom. cuffed the journalists and me- favor of press freedom. Dumayas or an appeal to the other forms of government in- “(The) pronouncements dia technicians present without And yet the RTC decision Court of Appeals. Olivares has timidation that followed the ar- made by other defendants and even the courtesy of stating would not only legitimize an posted bail for her provisional rests. The Center for Media Free- that advisory of defendant Sec- why they were being so illegitimate attempt to subvert liberty. dom and Responsibility (CMFR) retary Gonzale(z) following that treated; and under the pretext press freedom, the Constitution CVC claimed in a court affi- is a co-petitioner in the case. Manila Peninsula Hotel stand- of determining who were le- and democracy. It would now davit that the article “maligned In a five-page decision, Judge off, the same have not and will gitimate journalists and who embolden and arm the regime and blackened the reputation” of Reynaldo Laigo of Makati RTC not in any way curtail much less were not, hauled them off to a with the license to repeat the the firm by “accusing them of Branch 56 claimed that the ar- avert plaintiffs from exercising police camp for “processing”. offense, as it has several times being mere influence peddlers, rest of the journalists was “jus- freely their rights as such mem- This incident was the worst threatened to do. CMFR is pre- unlawfully manipulating gov- tified” and in accordance “with bers of the press—covering or of its kind in the history of the pared to take the fight to re- ernment institutions for their police procedure.” obtaining information on future struggle for press freedom verse this decision and to affirm own ends and using their power Laigo also scored the conduct events similar to what transpired since 1946. It was worse than the primacy of press freedom against the good of the country.” of the journalists present in the at the Manila Peninsula Hotel,” any attempt by government to all the way to the Supreme Olivares stood by her story Peninsula Hotel incident, which the decision said. restrain the press during the Court. and maintained that it was not included some of the plaintiffs, The decision was issued June libelous. The story was also a when they refused to follow the 20, but the lawyers for the plain- matter of grave public interest, order of Geary Barias, Police Di- tiffs received a formal copy last weekend, when the courts close eas that the police declare as a Olivares said. rector of the National Capital July 1. The decision was first business. It smacks of some con- crime scene,” Roque said. There are 47 other libel cases Region Police Office, to vacate made known when a reporter for spiracy,” Vergel Santos, editorial Roque said that the complain- filed by CVC against Olivares, the area. a daily newspaper obtained a board chair of the BusinessWorld ants will appeal the case. each case corresponding to a “Under the given dangerous copy from the office of Barias, and CMFR board member, said. story. Medina said that they situation, that order by defen- who is also a respondent in the Harry Roque, the plaintiffs’ Publisher convicted of libel have appealed 46 of the cases to dant …Barias was but lawful and complaint. counsel, said that the decision the Court of Appeals, asking appeared to have been dis- “The ruling was dated June “may yet be the biggest blow to THE PUBLISHER of a daily news- that they be consolidated into obeyed by all those, including 20, 2008 but released on the 27th, our cherished civil liberties to paper critical of the Arroyo gov- one, while one case is already some of the plaintiffs, when a Friday, raising the perfectly date.” ernment was found guilty of li- being heard. they intentionally refused to reasonable suspicion of an at- “(W)e maintain that restrict- bel last June 5 and sentenced to a The Tribune has been critical leave the hotel premises,” the tempt to catch the complainants ing the movement of the press in minimum of six months to a maxi- of the Arroyo administration decision stated. flatfooted and suppress any ad- such a threatening manner, tak- mum of two years in prison. She since it came to power in 2001. “(An) appropriate criminal verse prompt reaction—in fact, ing into account the totality of was also ordered to pay P5 mil- Police operatives raided the of- charge under Article 151 of the the lawyers of the complainants the official acts of the police and lion in moral damages and fice of the Tribune on Feb. 25, 2007 Revised Penal Code, which is were not provided with a copy the DOJ, constitutes an invisible P33,732.25 in civil damages. when President Gloria Macapa- applicable to all, including the of the ruling. The strategy is no threat of state retaliation by its Makati Regional Trial Court gal Arroyo declared a state of media personalities, could have different from getting an arrest police and prosecutorial forces Branch 59 Judge Winlove emergency. –with reports from abs- been initiated against them but warrant issued at the start of the should the press venture into ar- Dumayas found Ninez Cacho cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak PJR REPORTS CRiSiS JULY 2008 25 NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL

found out about the parole or- P5,000 bail bond. told the journalists who came to CMFR statement on the conviction for libel of Ninez Cacho Olivares der last May 2 when they acci- The Davao journalists who fetch Adonis last May 26. Escalating the Cost of Free Expression dentally ran into the Davao City went to Dapecol to secure the re- “This is why many people parole officer. lease of Adonis were however have lost faith in the system. We THE CENTER for Media Free- Unless overturned, the con- A parole is the “conditional disappointed as Tesoro refused to have done everything by the dom and Responsibility viction of Olivares escalates the release of an offender from a cor- release Adonis. “We were hop- book, yet this has happened,” (CMFR) views with alarm the costs of free expression in the rectional institution after he has ing that Adonis could be released Roque said. conviction for libel and sentenc- Philippines. It ironically comes served the minimum of his prison today…but when we arrived the Adonis also sought the imple- ing to a prison term as well as at a time when the United Na- sentence.” warden told us he could not re- mentation of Supreme Court payment of fines of The Daily tions, precisely on the basis of Adonis, through his counsel lease Adonis because of the pend- Administrative Circular No. 08- Tribune publisher and editor such Supreme Court initiatives Roque, asked Davao RTC Branch ing (libel) case,” Davao Today re- 2008 on Guidelines in the Obser- Ninez Cacho Olivares. as its memorandum enjoining 14 Judge George Omelio last porter Cheryl Fiel said. vance of a Rule of Preference in the The six months to two years’ lower courts not to impose May 26 to allow him to post bail Tesoro refused to honor the Imposition of Penalties in Libel Cases, imprisonment sentence imprison sentences in libel cases, for the second libel case on the court order, arguing that Ado- which encourages fines over imposed by Judge Winlove has lauded the Philippines for strength of his parole for the first nis has a pending libel case. “We prisonment, on the libel case filed Dumayas of Branch 59 of the its alleged commitment to hu- case. The judge granted the peti- have to inform higher authori- by Nograles. “We are question- Makati Regional Trial Court man rights. tion and issued a release order ties before obeying the court or- ing whether or not the SC Circu- ignores a Supreme Court Congress must now take the after Davao media paid the der to release Adonis,” Tesoro lar could be given a retroactive memorandum urging the im- necessary steps to amend the effect in the case of Adonis,” position of fines rather than libel law. Criminal libel has Roque explained. prison terms on journalists con- always been a threat against the Last April, Adonis, with the victed of libel. free press and free expression Statement of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists on the help of Roque, also filed a com- At the same time, however, in general. The possibility— preliminary injuction granted to the alleged masterminds of the plaint with CMFR and NUJP as the fine of over P5 million and, in the case of Davao jour- killing of Esperat co-signatories before the United Judge Dumayas has ordered nalist Alexander “Alex” Ado- Stop the Killing of Journalists; Nations Human Rights Commit- Olivares to pay is excessive, and nis, the reality—of imprison- tee regarding Adonis’s plight and underscores the truth of what ment is a constraint on press Prosecute the Masterminds calling attention to the country’s CMFR has long argued: that not reporting and fair comment. archaic criminal libel law. Roque only libel’s being a criminal The threat of crippling fines has THE FREEDOM Fund for Fili- larly important in dismantling also asked the RTC to re-open the offense in the Philippines, but also had the same effect. Both pino Journalists is gravely con- the culture of impunity that has libel case filed by Nograles, on the also the often excessive fines will continue to threaten press cerned over the granting last so far claimed the lives of 34 basis of a Supreme Court memo- imposed on journalists, hamper freedom and free expression in May 14 by the Cebu Court of journalists since 2001 while in randum urging the imposition of free expression, abridge press the Philippines unless libel is Appeals of an indefinite pre- the line of duty. The trial of the fines instead of imprisonment in freedom, and compromise the decriminalized and a ceiling liminary injunction preventing suspected masterminds alone libel cases. democratic dialogue. fixed on fines in libel cases. the Cebu Regional Trial Court will send a signal to the killers (RTC) from hearing the case of journalists that the judicial INTERNATIONAL against the individuals accused system is finally working. The of being the masterminds in the conviction of the masterminds, Media groups ask had been caught by the latter’s killing of journalist Marlene on the other hand, will go a Junta confiscates video Supreme Court to release husband in a compromising situ- Esperat. long way in helping dismantle ation at a hotel in Manila. Ado- and photo equipment The injunction was issued the culture of impunity in jailed broadcaster nis was convicted after missing following a March 25 decision which only a few killers of jour- several hearings and forfeiting THE BURMESE junta has seized granting suspects Osmeña nalists and no masterminds TWO MEDIA organizations filed his right to present evidence. He photography and video equip- Montañer and Estrella Sabay a have been punished for their last May 30 a petition for a writ now faces another libel case on ment after footage on the after- 60-day temporary restraining heinous crimes. of habeas corpus before the Su- the same incident, this time filed math of Cyclone Nargis came out order and suspending the serv- We therefore urge the Su- preme Court asking for the re- by Leuterio. in foreign media. ing of the arrest warrant issued preme Court to issue a resolu- lease of jailed radio commenta- “There is no legal basis for the The junta confiscated still and against them last Feb. 4. tion declaring that its original tor Alexander “Alex” Adonis. continued detention of Adonis video cameras being used by The Court of Appeals deci- order transferring the venue of The Center for Media Freedom since he already has a discharge small-scale documentary film- sion cited an April 3 comment the cases of the killers of and Responsibility (CMFR) and order on the first case and a re- makers, professionals, propri- by the Office of the Solicitor Marlene Esperat applies equally the National Union of Journalists lease order on the second case,” etors of photography studios, General, which said the Su- to the suspected masterminds so of the Philippines (NUJP) ques- said Adonis’s counsel, lawyer and even those privately owned preme Court’s transfer of that the trial can proceed at the tioned before the Supreme Court Harry Roque. by households, including those venue order applied only to the Cebu RTC. the refusal of Supt. Venancio The petition argued that “the from cyclone-hit Kungyankone actual killers, and was not Meanwhile, our colleagues Tesoro to release Adonis despite pending case for libel now with town in Rangoon Division. binding in the case against in the press and the media in a December 2007 parole order Branch 14 of the city’s Regional The junta has put foreign and Montañer and Sabay. general can provide significant from the Department of Justice’s Trial Court…should not be a bar local media on a watch list in cy- Board of Pardon and Paroles (DOJ- to his enjoyment of the parole In 2005, the Supreme Court support by disseminating the clone-affected areas. Military Se- BPP) and a release order from the already granted (to) him.” It had transferred the venue of the facts of the Esperat as well as curity Affairs officers have been Davao Regional Trial Court (RTC) added that “Tesoro cannot arro- case of the assassins of Esperat other cases of slain journalists, positioned in every cyclone-af- Branch 14 issued last May 26. gate unto himself the power to from Tacurong to Cebu on the including the need not only to fected town, and local political Tesoro is the warden of the Davao unilaterally declare that there is strength of the argument that prosecute the actual killers but leaders have been told to report Penal Colony (Dapecol) where no legal ground to release peti- the suspects’ influence in also the masterminds in each on the activities of media person- Adonis is serving a sentence for tioner (Adonis) from detention.” Tacurong could affect the out- case. nel and any individual with a criminal libel. The DOJ-BPP granted Adonis come of the case. We hope that our col- camera. Adonis was sentenced on Jan. parole on Dec. 11, 2007 after he The conviction of the kill- leagues in the media will use The seizure of film and pho- 26, 2007 to a five months and one had served the minimum sen- ers of Esperat on Oct. 6, 2006 these materials to generate the tography equipment followed day to four years, six months and tence for the Nograles case. The was a significant step in the articles, reports and commen- reports in state-run newspapers one day imprisonment and a fine order was received by the re- battle against impunity, to- tary that can enhance Filipino about “anti-government ele- of P200,000 in a libel complaint gional parole officer in Febru- gether with the conviction of awareness of the deleterious ments and self-centered people” filed by House Speaker Prospero ary 2008, but Adonis was not in- the killer of Edgar Damalerio consequences to democracy of allegedly making money from Nograles. formed about it. Tesoro decided on Nov. 29, 2005. However, jus- the killing of journalists, and, peddling fabricated news and Nograles filed libel charges not to implement the order be- tice has not been fully served therefore, of the need to pre- filming cyclone relief and recon- after Adonis claimed in his radio cause of the libel case filed by in either of these cases in that vent further killings by pros- struction work. program that Nograles and his Leuterio against Adonis for the the suspected masterminds ecuting those responsible for Though the authorities said alleged paramour, Davao-based same incident. Adonis, his coun- have yet to stand trial. those that have already oc- they had only temporarily con- broadcaster Jeanette Leuterio, sel, and fellow journalists only The Esperat case is particu- curred. fiscated the equipment, none has 26 JULY 2008 CRiSiS PJR REPORTS NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL been returned to owners. An editor for a weekly paper Gah on the morning of June 7. ghan authorities strongly con- to protect the interests of citizens Last May, the Press Scrutiny said the journalists arrived last After lunch, he left home with- demned “this vicious murder.” against the circulation of defama- and Registration Board ordered May 18, but were ordered to out saying where he was going. Rohani was the second jour- tory information,” he said. “It local newspapers to stop running leave the next morning after be- Local authorities believe nalist killed in Afghanistan this would be expedient to withdraw stories depicting the destruction ing forced to sign a document in Rohani was killed by the Taliban. year, Reuters reported. A Norwe- the bill from further hearing,” he caused by Cyclone Nagris and to which they promised not to re- “We believe this murder was gian reporter died in a Taliban added. cover only the reconstruction ef- turn to the village to do any news perpetrated by the Taliban to in- suicide bomb attack on a luxury The State Duma approved the forts by authorities. coverage. timidate journalists and attack hotel in Kabul in January. proposed amendment on first Junta officials were report- The authorities also detained press freedom,” the Afghan in- Nasteh Dahir Farah, who was reading last April 25. The bill edly angry at the head of the cen- the famous actor and comedian formation ministry said in a working for the BBC in Somalia would have added anti-libel sorship board, Major Tint Swe, for Zarganar, who had been assist- statement. was killed last June 7 was shot measures to a law that bans the having permitted the publication ing cyclone victims with relief The Taliban spokesperson dead by armed men as he re- publication or broadcast of ma- of some cyclone stories that de- materials, on the evening of May denied any involvement in the turned from work to his home in terial encouraging terrorism or scribed damage to buildings and 4. They also seized from his home killing in an interview with Kismayu, southern Somalia. His extremism, and which has already loss of property, supplemented documentary video footage and Reuters. The Taliban spokesmen killers have not been identified. been criticized as being open to by pictures. Junta head Senior musical recordings on the cy- in the region, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, -RSF abuse by officials. General Than Shwe flared up clone, and albums containing even offered his condolences to While CJES welcomed the when he found a front-page story songs on the cyclone sung by chil- Rahimullah Samandar, the head move, it noted that the legisla- from the bi-weekly Eleven News dren. of the Afghan Independent Jour- tion was already doomed. Journal that said: “The plight of The documentary videos and nalists Association when the Vladimir Putin’s United Russia storm victims should not be ex- photographs of the cyclone, body was found. party, which holds a majority in ploited.” which lashed some townships in Many journalists working in the State Duma and effectively “Because Burmese readers are Rangoon and Irrawaddy Divi- Helmand feel all the more pow- controls which laws are passed, clever enough to read between sions last May 2 and 3, were very erless and threatened for not withdrew its support for the bill the lines, they immediately real- popular among local people and knowing clearly who was behind last May 19. The party also de- ized that the story did criticize were selling briskly. The video Rohani’s death. cided to create a special work- the junta, who have been show- footage captured scenes of bod- “We do not know who is the ing group to prepare a new and ing how ‘kind’ they are, in help- ies strewn about, uprooted trees, enemy,” the Institute for War and “improved” draft of the media ing the victims by using interna- collapsed houses and lamp- Peace Reporting was told by Aziz law, which CJES and GDF fear tional aid as if it were their own,” posts, and debris heaped on the Ahmad Shafe, a journalist who may result in even tougher leg- said a journalist. streets. -Mizzima/IFEX worked with Rohani for the BBC. islation. “We were also warned that “There are people who do what GDF agreed that the we must not describe how people they want and put the blame on President’s actions were positive, are starving,” a senior journalist, the Taliban,” Shafe said. “Jour- but warned media groups not to who has five years’ reporting ex- nalists are in danger, they are rush to conclusions about perience, told Mizzima. vulnerable.” Medvedev Medvedev, whom the Kremlin is The Burma Media Associa- “We offer our deepest condo- HTTP://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/ trying to paint as the “progres- tion (BMA), a Burmese press free- lences to the journalist’s family WORLDECONOMICFORUM/374718226 sive new President.” “It is pos- dom watchdog based in Thai- and colleagues. Abdul Samad sible that this is an evil political land, condemned the junta for the Rohani was typical of many con- game in the spirit of the Byzan- restriction, saying it not only vio- tributors to the BBC who risk Does Medvedev support tine traditions so popular in lates press freedom but also vio- their lives to ensure the indepen- media freedom? present day Russia,” GDF said. lates and suppresses the peoples’ dence and pluralism of news in Many IFEX members rank right to be informed. their countries. They cover fight- RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Dmitry Russia low on the media freedom “The Burmese government is ing in the south of Afghanistan Medvedev has called last June 2 scale, highlighting the unsolved trying to conceal the sufferings despite the risks and report on for parliament to scrap a bill that murders of more than a dozen of the people and is making false atrocities against civilians,” Re- would have given authorities the journalists during Putin’s eight claims that they are conducting porters Without Borders (RSF) power to close down media out- years as President, as well as in- rescue and relief missions,” said Rohani HTTP://WWW.BBC.CO.UK said. lets suspected of libel, a move creased state control over major BMA Secretary Son Moe Wai. Rohani was the head of the welcomed with cautious opti- television channels and newspa- A journalist who returned BBC reporter killed BBC’s Pashto service in mism by the Center for Journal- pers. from the worst-hit areas said she in Afghanistan Helmand province. He had also ism in Extreme Situations (CJES), Regardless, the move has found nothing being recon- worked with the Afghan inde- Glasnost Defence Foundation awakened cautious hopes of structed there by the junta. AN AFGHAN journalist was pendent news agency Pajhwok (GDF), and other International greater media freedom under “So, what should we cover found dead last June 8 near the since 2004. His colleagues told Freedom of Expression Exchange Medvedev, a former corporate under the title ‘reconstruction city of Lashkar Gah, capital of RSF that he had received sev- (IFEX) members. lawyer who was sworn in as phase’?” she asked. “They (the Helmand province in southern eral threats from a local chief The amendment would have President last May 7, succeeding soldiers) haven’t even finished Afghanistan. He had been ab- who accused him of supporting allowed the government—even Putin. Last month, Medvedev met clearing the towns yet, let alone ducted by unidentified armed the Kabul government and of without a court decision—to pre- with the head of the Russian undertaken the ‘reconstruction men. “boycotting” news put out by vent media outlets from operat- Union of Journalists, which jour- phase’.” Abdul Samad Rohani, a re- the Taliban. Rohani’s home was ing if a libelous statement was nalists hope is a sign of the Krem- “Journalists are meant to tell porter for the Pashto service of the target of an attack in his perceived to have been printed lin doors’ opening up to a new the truth so that people will the British Broadcasting Corpo- absence in 2006. or aired. Russia’s media commu- and constructive dialogue. know of the situation in Burma. ration (BBC), was found dead a “He was one of our best nity warned that it could have In another positive develop- Suppressing the press at this time day after he disappeared in the journalists. He covered a very been used to stifle independent ment, a Russian court recently is outrageous and shameful,” Son suburbs of Lashkar Gah. Rohani difficult region. It is a serious and critical reporting. ruled as unconstitutional crimi- Moe Wai said. had three gunshot wounds. A blow for press freedom, but In a letter to the State Duma, nal charges brought against The junta’s earlier tolerance pathologist also said he appeared they will not manage to silence Russia’s lower house of parlia- Manana Aslamazyan, the former for local journalists to travel to have been tortured before he people with these kinds of acts” ment, Medvedev said the bill head of the journalism training freely appears to have worn thin was killed. said Lotfolah Latif, editor for would hinder journalists while organization Educated Media as nine Rangoon-based journal- A group of unidentified the BBC in Afghanistan. Dan- failing to reduce defamation. He Foundation, Article 19 said. She ists from four weeklies who had armed men stopped his vehicle ish Karokhel, director of criticized the proposed amend- had faced up to five years in gone to Hlaing Bwe village in last June 7 in Lashkar Gah and Pajhwok, told RSF of his fears ment and warned that it would prison on “trumped-up charges” Maw Gyun Township, Irrawaddy took Rohani. According to for the safety of journalists who “create obstacles to the normal of smuggling foreign currency, Division, to cover the devasta- Reuters, local reporters saw “come under a huge amount of functioning of the media.” and the foundation was forced to tion there, were reportedly told Rohani at a drug-burning cer- pressure for their independent The amendment “will not shut down after police raided its to leave overnight last May 18. emony at the airport in Lashkar and impartial work.” The Af- help to achieve the desired goal office. -IFEX n PJR REPORTS CHRONiCLE JULY 2008 27 OBiT cluding the late executive editor of leagues in the paper. Bulatlat the New York Times, A.M. quoted Kenneth Roland Guda, Rosenthal; CBS reporter Daniel editor-in-chief of Pinoy Weekly as Schorr; CBS and NBC News reporter saying “(l)agi siyang bukas sa Marvin Kalb; and former editor of pagbabago. Kahit master niya Business Week Stephen Shepard. ang wikang Filipino, hindi niya His influence among these notable pinipilit ang paggamit sa ilang journalists and his immense con- mga salitang may ibang Winners at this year’s PPI awards LITO OCAMPO tribution to the profession earned pakahulugan para sa iba (He is him the title “one-man school of always open to change. Even if Sun.Star Davao, Cebu Daily News RUSSERT journalism.” he had mastered the Filipino lan- Rosenthal’s interest in journal- guage, he did not insist on using lead PPI awardees HTTP://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/ ism was already apparent even at words that may have a different TALKRADIONEWS an early age. He became editor of a meaning to others).” SUN.STAR DAVAO and Cebu Daily News bagged the most number of RUSSERT, 58 campus newspaper when he was Known as “Ka Bay” to many awards during the 2007 Annual Community Press Awards organized in high school and also wrote sports of his colleagues, Abadilla fought by the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) at the Diamond Hotel, Manila TIM RUSSERT, a political journal- articles for the now-defunct news- the Marcos dictatorship. He par- last May 29. ist known for his interviews with paper The Brooklyn Eagle. ticipated in the historic First In the daily category, Sun.Star Davao took home a total of three Washington’s most influential His career in the City College in- Quarter Storm along with other awards for best in photojournalism, best in science and environmen- politicians through the program cluded his establishment of two jour- youth who yearned for social tal reporting, and best editorial page, while Cebu Daily News bagged Meet the Press, died last June 13 nalism courses in 1936. He retired change. Together with activists two for best edited paper and best in business and economics report- at 58. Russert suffered a heart from the academe as a professor such as National Artist for Litera- ing. attack while recording a voiceover emeritus of English and chairman ture Bienvenido Lumbera, Abadilla Named awardees in the weekly category were: Mabuhay for best for the program. of communications and mass me- became a member of the progres- edited community paper; Balikas for best in science and environment Russert was National Broad- dia in 1976. sive writers’ group Panulat para reporting; Baguio Midland Courier for best in business in economics; casting Company’s (NBC) senior Apart from teaching, Rosenthal sa Kaunlaran ng Sambayanan Pampanga News for best in photojournalism; and Metro Post for best vice president and chief of NBC co-wrote two books—Business En- formed in 1971. editorial page. News’s Washington bureau. His glish Made Simple (1955) with Harry Lumbera, in his statement on Mabuhay, Sun.Star Cebu, and Sun.Star Davao were awarded special career in NBC that started in Rudman and The Art of Writing Made the death of Abadilla, described citations for their contribution to civic journalism. 1984 was notable for his cover- Simple (1958) with Morton Yarmon. his colleague’s contribution as The 2007 Annual Community Press Awards was the culmination He also wrote for the Times, The not limited to arts and literature. th age of several US presidential elec- of PPI’s 12 National Forum and the 2008 Annual Membership meet- tions. He spearheaded NBC Saturday Review, The New York Her- “Walang pagod ang kanyang ing held last May 27 to 30. News’s broadcast in South ald Tribune, and the Public Opinion paglilingkod sa sambayanan (he PPI’s newly-elected board were inducted during the meeting. They America, China, and Australia Quarterly. was tireless in his service to the were: Amado Macasaet of Malaya as chairman-president; Isagani from 1986 to 1987. New York-based newspaper people),” Lumbera said. Yambot of the Philippine Daily Inquirer as vice-chairman; Dalmacio Russert established himself Newsday quoted Rosenthal’s son His bravery and passion to Grafil of the Leyte Samar Daily Express as corporate secretary and as one of America’s most promi- Robert, executive director of the serve the Filipino masses were trustee for the Visayas; and Antonio Katigbak of The Philippine Star as nent political journalists when he Center for Investigative Reporting evident in his works as a colum- treasurer. started hosting the weekly Ameri- in California, as saying: “(Rosen- nist, poet, and essayist. In No- Elected trustees were: Quirino Alban of the Makiling Journal for can television program Meet the thal) always believed a well-written, vember 2006, Abadilla launched Luzon, Fr. Jonathan Domingo, OMI of the Mindanao Cross for Press in 1991. His almost 17 well-reported, (and) accurate story Sigliwa Kamao, a collection Mindanao; Juan Mercado of the Press Foundation of Asia; Vergel years with the program enabled would be important, even with all of poems. Santos of the BusinessWorld; Rogelio Salazar of the Manila Standard Russert to interview various na- the changes (in journalism).” Abadilla also taught at the Today; Augusto Villanueva of the Journal Group of Publications; and tional leaders on US foreign policy The Communications Alumni Polytechnic University of the Phil- Jose Pavia of Mabuhay as executive director. and economics. Association which Rosenthal ippines until 2003 and had writ- The PPI, a national organization of newspapers, honors the best Aside from being a television founded in 1976 is awarding schol- ten for critical newspapers Ang daily and weekly newspapers through its annual community press journalist, Russert also worked as arship grants through the Irving Masa and Diario Uno. awards. the press secretary of former New Rosenthal Journalism Award, estab- York governor Mario Cuomo and lished by the association in honor AGLAY, 41 GMA-7 wins 7 awards in US Festival chief-of-staff to the late Sen. of him. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He also DOLORES “DOLLY” Aglay, busi- GMA-7, ONE of the biggest television networks in the country, won authored two books, Big Russ and ness reporter for the Manila bu- seven major awards in the 41st US International Film and Video Fes- Me in 2004 and Wisdom of Our reau of Reuters News Agency tival (USIFVF) held in Hollywood, California last June 7. Father in 2006. (Thomson Reuters), died last May The network received Gold Camera awards including one for Time magazine this year 26 after three years of battling Jessica Soho’s Philippine Agenda: Edukasyon (Education) in the Docu- named him one of the 100 most cancer. She was 41. mentary for Public Issues and Concerns category. influential people in the world. Covering mostly the com- Winning Silver Screen Awards were Philippine Agenda: Kalusugan Russert also received an Emmy modities beat, Aglay joined (Health), also in the Public Issues and Concerns category and Kapuso Award in 2005 for his coverage of Reuters in 1995. abs- Mo, Jessica Soho (One at Heart with Jessica Soho) in the Documentary/ former US president Ronald cbnNews.com in the article “Ma- Social Issues category. Reagan’s death. nila-based Reuters journalist dies Two documentary programs of the network, I-Witness and ABADILLA of cancer” quoted Raju Reporter’s Notebook also received Silver Screen Awards in the Docu- ROSENTHAL, 95 Gopalakrishnan, the Philippine ILANG-ILANG QUIJANO mentary/Social Issues category for their entries “Iskul Ko, No. 1!” (My Bureau chief of Reuters as say- School is Number 1!) and “Batang Kalakal” (Child Scavengers), respec- NOTED JOURNALISM educator ABADILLA, 67 ing: “She (Aglay) worked across tively. Irving Rosenthal, who for four de- all parts of the business file and GMA-7 also received minor awards including certificates for cades mentored a number of no- JOURNALIST, POET, teacher, and ac- pitched in on political and gen- Reporter’s Notebook’s “Pulong Diablo” (Devil’s Isle), I-Witness’s “Batang table and distinguished journal- tivist Bayani “Ka Bay” Abadilla suc- eral news whenever she sensed Kalabaw” (Child Beasts of Burdren) and “Gapos” (Chained), and 100% ists, died last May 18. He was 95. cumbed to lymphoma last May 14. it was needed, but completely Pinoy: Kalabaw (100% Filipino: Carabao). In his 40 years of teaching at He was 67. owned the commodities beat.” Founded in 1967, the USIFVF recognizes outstanding productions the City College of New York, At the time of his death, Abadilla Aglay also worked as a busi- in Business, Television, Documentary, Educational, Entertainment, Rosenthal became an inspiration was Pinoy Weekly’s associate edi- ness reporter for The Philippine Industrial, and Informational fields. This year, 23 countries partici- to many prominent journalists in- tor. He was well-praised by his col- Star before joining Reuters.n pated in the competition. n 28 JULY 2008 PJR REPORTS

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ n By Redempto Anda

EING A community journalist can be trickier than pounding the beat in the big city. Hav- ing covered the major beats for the Manila Chronicle back in the early ‘90s and now run- CONFESSIONS ning a weekly paper in Palawan while writ- ingB for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, I have come to rec- ognize the nuances. One would think that the dif- file the story, the treatment ference is just the geographic fac- would be bland if not totally OF A SMALL TOWN tor, when in fact the provincial skewed. Sad but true, but I know milieu that a community journal- self-censorship happens in the ist wades into is very different big cities too. from the norms of the big city. As a basic tenet in media goes, In the provinces, people gen- no story is worth dying for. Rea- erally know one another. It usu- son enough why recently I have ally happens that you cover a become picky about reporting JOURNALIST story in the morning and then controversial mining projects in you bump into the person you Palawan after I started receiving interviewed in your favorite cof- nasty and threatening text mes- fee shop or the town’s grocery sages on my phone. store later in day. Depending on Mining stories in particular how you have angled your story, are interesting to cover because you end up either engaging in they tend to be laden with con- awkward banter or getting a flicts and oddities. Government nasty stare. I mean, I have had corruption and irregularities, or my share of covering presidents at least the evidence of it, leak and several of their Cabinet sec- out of many mining projects. A retaries, but I do not remember lot of mining companies tend to saying hello to anyone of them do short cuts in the permit pro-

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ while shopping for personals in cess or apply unusual tactics in the neighborhood 7-11 outlet. meeting their goals, but are bad I once did a story on an expa- at hiding them from prying eyes. triate who had serious legal is- Perhaps like reporting on il- sues with his government. The legal gambling and drugs, or guy slapped me a libel suit that even covering war-torn areas that took over five years to finally get expose a journalist to physical dismissed by the court. While harm in a more direct and evi- the case was on trial, we got so dent way, writing about politi- used to bumping into each other cal and social controversies in in cheese club meetings and on general can be bad for a the sidewalks that I do not know journalist’s health, especially in anymore if the case was dis- the provinces. missed because we sort of became As soon as I decided to pick friends, or if there was not a libel up on such topics again, I real- issue to begin with. ized I still had the fear factor to In many ways, the small town shed. Yes, I should just arm my- factor affects provincial journal- self with a handgun and run ists in both good and bad ways. I after stories like I used to. No, I have always been very careful can just concentrate on writing with my facts as I would not want about the wonderful flora and to be harangued by local news fauna of Palawan. Then, when sources about errors when we you sit down and write, you cross paths the next day. I tend to realize that everything that be more engaged in my stories, happens in your beat is inter- as opposed to being detached. related in context. Hard stories that probe into The cold statistics seem to issues of public accountability in support this assumption. Nearly the local setting are difficult for all of the journalists who have provincial journalists to grapple been killed in the exercise of with. A number of people I know their profession are based in the tend to shy away from reporting provinces. That should say some- on something that they know will thing about the risks faced by get the goat of the governor or those in the profession who have the mayor or congressman, or an to practice their craft in an ob- entity with deeply rooted eco- jective and detached manner in nomic interests. Either they a physical and cultural environ- would not prefer the aggrava- ment where they are virtual sit- tion, or they simply cannot ting ducks. n hack it anymore because ...... they have long com- Redempto Anda is editor of the promised their inde- weekly Palawan Sun and is a corre- pendence as journal- spondent of the Philippine Daily ists. Or even if they Inquirer. MANIX ABRERA