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Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Execs, media slam media gag proposal
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
* However Oca says media should spare selves from propaganda
* National Democratic Front says military proposal is a return to Marcos dictatorship
LOCAL media practitioners slammed Monday the military's proposal to ban media from interviewing suspected terrorists.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. believes the proposal to make media interviews with terrorists a crime as part of the anti-terrorism act will not prosper as it would be a form of prior censorship which is specifically prohibited by the Constitution.
Also, the National Democratic Front-Mindanao (NDF-Mindanao) said "the proposed anti-terrorism law signifies brazen fascism and open repression, worse than the heydays of the Marcos dictatorship."
For his part, Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno said while he respects press freedom, media shouldn't allow itself to be used for propaganda purposes while Mayor Vicente Emano voiced his opposition to the proposal.
In separate interviews with Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro, former Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) president Jerry Orcullo, Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Cagayan de Oro president Junas Bustamante, Mindanao Chronicle editor-in-chief Uriel Quilinguing and dxIF Bombo Radyo commentator Manny Agustero said this media gag provision is an infringement on the freedom of the press.
"The statement of General Adan is more than a terror bomb. Penalizing media for interviewing suspected terrorists or even a convicted one is itself media terrorism in the highest order. It is a terrorist attack on the independence of media and the essence of a Free and Democratic Press. It is a fascist move!" Orcullo said.
Bustamante who is also the station manager of dxCO Radyo Banat said military proposal is an affront to the freedom of the press.
"That's an indirect attack to media freedom. KBP-Manila reminded us to be cautious in reporting," he said.
Unconstitutional
Quilinguing for his part said, "It's a curtailment of press freedom! It's unconstitutional!"
Agustero for his part said there should still be a clarification as to who are considered "terrorists" citing how communist rebels are tagged as "foreign terrorists" by some countries while in the locality they are not.
"I-clarify sa nila ug ilang i-identify kung kinsa ning terrorista ilang buot pasabot," he said.
Agustero said there is also something wrong with this proposal as it would bar media from interviewing suspected terrorists that might just give authorities and the public some vital information.
"Unya kung kintahay naay gi-abduct nga officials or civilians dili lugar ta kakuha ug interview for public interest...dili kini makatarunganon isip sakop sa media ang atong tarbaho mao ang pag-inquire and pag-inform sa tao kung dunay demand paabot sa tao sayop lugar na ang pagkuha sa ilang side?" he said.
Later Moreno told dxJR TV that the proposal might curtail press freedom that is supposed to enable the people to know and understand opposing causes.
However he said media are sometimes used to further the cause of the terrorists.
"It's okay if these are rebels since they deal with political issues and it's part of their cause so give them a chance," he said in Visayan.
Gag
Moreno said media shouldn't give terrorists space for propaganda since they don't have any cause.
"This is a delicate balance. Personal view, we have to draw a very fine line on press freedom and what constitutes an abuse of that freedom," he said.
Emano is strongly opposed to the proposal. "The media must be given leeway to interview anybody.
Through interviews, the government may realize and feel the sentiments of the other side," he said.
Meanwhile, Pimentel said the proposal presented by Armed Forces deputy chief of staff, Lieutenant General Edilberto Adan, will contravene the constitutional mandate guaranteeing freedom of the press.
"That is a form of prior censorship that free society cannot allow. Therefore, it is only when media practitioners across the line that the state has the power to prosecute or run after them," he said.
In other words, he said "It is an attempt to gag the media before it is even able to speak out."
General Adan said giving terrorists media space is viewed by the military as an abuse of press freedom and should be considered a criminal offense.
Pimentel said media interviews with terrorists or rebels could be allowed provided there is no endorsement of their intent against the government.
"The threat to arrest media practitioners interview in terrorists would make the government itself a terrorist to the freedom of speech and information," he said.
Should the journalists go beyond the bounds in giving media space to terrorists and rebels or should they openly endorse seditious remarks, Pimentel said the government could take legal action against them by invoking the existing law against sedition.
NDF-Mindanao spokesperson Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos said this proposal is a scheme to abuse basic rights to free press and information.
"This latest tact of penalizing journalists who cover and interview alleged terrorists, specifically personalities belonging to the NDF, Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army is outrageous," he said.
"It is a desperate effort to reverse the tide of public opinion and mass actions against the Arroyo regime and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)," he added.
This communist leader said the Arroyo regime is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of people about the revolution and the legitimate people's struggle.
Clearly, he said the Arroyo regime is trying to obscure the ongoing civil war a war between the counter-revolutionary government of big compradors and landlords represented by the Arroyo regime and the people's democratic government represented by the NDFP.
"Instead, the AFP and the Arroyo regime intend to sow fear and to whip the media to docility by coercing it to toe the line of the reactionary government at the expense of the people's interest to truth, justice and freedom," he said.
(March 8, 2005 issue)
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