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Saturday, April 09, 2005
Editorial: Show proof
WE GIVE credit to the military for being honest about the existence of a list of whom they perceive as "enemies of the state". At least, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) did not deny it and even confirmed monitoring some members of religious and media groups and other legitimate organizations for links with the New People's Army (NPA) or being influenced by the communist movement.
According to the AFP, the following are among 34 organizations targeted by the NPA to influence: Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP), United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP), Philippine Independent Church (PIC), Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), Free Legal Assistance Group (Flag), and some party-list groups like Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela and Anakbayan.
AFP spokesman Jose Angel Honrado said the NPA is attempting to influence "powerful" and "trustworthy" people who he did not identify and that the NPA wants to use church and media groups in pursuing a revolutionary movement, pull down democracy and promote communism in the country.
It is so easy for anyone, not just the AFP, to make such claims.
The accusers should show proof of links between the organizations they consider as "enemies of the state" and local communists.
In the absence of evidence, the military should keep its mouth shut.
Why play favorites?
WHAT makes ABS-CBN so special to the Palace that it allotted slots in the Philippine delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II? Is it because Vice President Noli de Castro used to be a prized broadcaster of the network?
Media exposed how Malacañang lied about no slots given to the local press. But when GMA 7 learned that its rival ABS-CBN got two slots, and complained about it, the company was given two slots also. Other media organizations raised a furor as expected.
The Palace should have known they cannot hide anything from the prying eyes of the media.
It appears that the administration wanted its favorites in the local media to join the delegation in retaliation to other media outlets that criticized the size and expenses involved in the trip to the Vatican.
The adverse reports on who is tagging along with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the Vatican and who will pay for them came about only because Malacañang earlier announced that the Philippine delegation will only be composed of five or six people, including Arroyo.
But the delegation grew from five or six to 71!
Criticism of the size of the delegation was surely forthcoming because we are talking here of taxpayer's money spent for the trip. With a fiscal crisis in the country, expenses should have been cut down to the very minimum.
(April 9, 2005 issue)
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