Saturday, June 14, 2008 Sulu abduction not basis to police media: Dureza By Carlo P. Mallo
THE abduction of television journalist Ces Oreña-Drilon and her crew in Sulu should not deter journalists from getting stories, outgoing presidential adviser on the peace process and incoming Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said.
Dureza does not believe that government should set guidelines for journalists who want to cover or go to areas with volatile peace and order situations like Sulu.
"Mediamen will have to do their jobs, and we cannot curtail that," Dureza said.
As a former journalist, Dureza said he understands how it feels if certain guidelines would be imposed on the media. Dureza was an editor-in-chief of a Davao-based newspaper.
"It cannot come from the government, the media themselves must create the guidelines for themselves; the media should police themselves," Dureza said.
Drilon and her crew were abducted last Sunday as they were covering a "special event" at a town in Sulu. Her cameraman was reportedly released Friday morning.
The abductors of the news team are yet to be identified although sketchy reports hint at the possible involvement of some military men.
The abduction of Drilon and her crew is not the first time in the area as during the height of the Sipadan Hostage Crisis, a number of local and foreign media personalities were held captive by a local terror group.
