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New face of media repression

At least two political events happened in Baguio City this week. The first was the local journalists signing as co-petitioners in a petition filed by Manila-based journalists in the Court of Appeals; and second, the coverage of the local media on the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduation this Saturday where Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) was the guest of honor and speaker.

On the first political event, a petition for Certiorari, Prohibition, Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction to the CA was filed on March 8. The case is anchored on the issued policies and acts by the Executive Department, which restrains media reporting and continuously serves as a threat to journalists despite the lifting of the Presidential Proclamation No. 1017. (Please see related news story)

Our Manila media colleagues said that uniformed men from both the AFP and the PNP are monitoring some media personalities and institutions there. Attempts to take over media outlets failed due to vigilance from media groups and personalities who at this time are united in opposing any moves to curtail press freedom.

But the threat and monitoring of journalists also happen in the provinces. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) found out that the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum to the Regional Director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) based in Iloilo City to monitor the Panay News and Daily Informer. The Memo ordered the NBI to take note of the news stories and commentaries/editorials “which may be considered as inciting readers to sedition.” The Memo also ordered the NBI to monitor all radio stations on their news stories and commentaries.

It is clear that the administration wants to control the flow of information, and considers any information that may not be favorable to the government as inciting to sedition. The Executive Department now serves as the prosecutor, judge and executioner rolled into one – a reality only during the dark years of Martial Law.

It must be pointed out that the present administration tramples upon the basic right of the people to information on any issue affected with public interests and the journalists right to exercise their press freedom in bringing these information to the public. For what is press freedom when a journalist or outlet is ordered on what and how an issue should be brought to the people? For what is the people’s right to information when the government orders that the only information that should be brought out publicly should be those favorable to them, particularly the executive department?

It is with these constitutional rights and duties that local journalists signed as co-petitioners to the CA petition. They feel the threat and they internalize their role to bring the information to the public. They join the call against the curtailment of press freedom.

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I am supposed to cover the PMA graduation on Saturday. However, I decided not to push through when authorities required that members of the media should be accredited by personally appearing at the PMA. In short, I need to get a gate pass by having my name listed as among the media that will cover the event.

I hate this too much bureaucracy. I have my media identifications. Why do I need to enlist my name?

Requiring media to accredit is an over reaction. In fact, it manifests media repression and the curtailment of the people’s right to information. It is with this reason that I decided not to cover the event. It is my way of showing a personal protest even if it is unregistered to the concerned agency.

We do not even need an invitation to cover events that affect the people. It is our duty to get the information and bring it to the public the soonest, sans restraint nor restriction. #

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