"You should not be choosy with food," the father said to his daughter. "People are losing their jobs."
"Including you?" the daughter asked.
"Yes."
"So, what will you do?"
"I will drive a cab."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Why?" the father asked.
"You can do better than that," she said.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Broken arm
Early the next morning.
"Hello? Why are you not answering the phone?"
"I'm here in the hospital."
"With our brother?"
"No. With the woman she crashed into."
"What?"
"She has a broken arm and a lump on her head. The doctor said she needs a CT scan too."
"Where's brother?"
"I don't know. I think he will be rushed to Cebu. There are no instruments in our hospitals here."
"How about the woman?"
"She said she drank Tanduay earlier in the day and felt lightheaded when she crossed the street to wait for a tricycle. Then she saw a motorcycle coming. That's the last thing she could remember."
"Text me when they die!"
"OK."
"Hello? Why are you not answering the phone?"
"I'm here in the hospital."
"With our brother?"
"No. With the woman she crashed into."
"What?"
"She has a broken arm and a lump on her head. The doctor said she needs a CT scan too."
"Where's brother?"
"I don't know. I think he will be rushed to Cebu. There are no instruments in our hospitals here."
"How about the woman?"
"She said she drank Tanduay earlier in the day and felt lightheaded when she crossed the street to wait for a tricycle. Then she saw a motorcycle coming. That's the last thing she could remember."
"Text me when they die!"
"OK."
Broken head
It was in the middle of the night when my sister called.
"Our brother broke his head," my sister said.
"Is he still alive?" I asked.
"I think so. I talked to him just now while he was wheeled into the emergency room," sister said.
"Will he survive?"
"I don't know. I saw a crack on his head."
"Shit," I said. "Why are you calling?"
"We have no money," she said.
Shit!
"Our brother broke his head," my sister said.
"Is he still alive?" I asked.
"I think so. I talked to him just now while he was wheeled into the emergency room," sister said.
"Will he survive?"
"I don't know. I saw a crack on his head."
"Shit," I said. "Why are you calling?"
"We have no money," she said.
Shit!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The hunger we face
It was surreal.
While an aid agency representative talked about hunger and poverty, a uniformed waiter asked journalists attending a press conference what they prefer for breakfast – bangus belly or chicken-pork adobo.
The woman aid worker narrated how a poor wife somewhere in Africa had to boil water for dinner so that her children could go to sleep. As she talked, forks and spoons clashed over steaming white rice topped with soft egg and achara at the restaurant.
I understand what hunger and poverty is. I understand the dilemma aid workers and nongovernment groups face when they try to put across their message to the public via the media. I understand why only few journalists attended the press con. (It was embarrassing to touch the bangus belly breakfast laid in front of me by the uniformed waiter.)
The world marks World Food Day this week amid the hunger and food insecurity. Hunger and poverty, Lan Mercado of Oxfam, said are here to stay unless the government implements policies to address these threats to our survival.
Mercado’s organization released this week a study that calls on everyone to learn “lessons” from the food price crisis that became more apparent in the Philippines early this year after the price of rice jumped more than a hundred percent.
“Double Edged Prices,” Oxfam’s study, found out that small farmers in developing countries have not benefited from higher food prices partly because of flawed trade and agricultural policies.
Kalayaan Pulido-Constantino, also of Oxfam-Philippines, agreed that the government has indeed a responsibility to address the problem. The Arroyo administration might have exerted efforts to mitigate the situation, but these efforts are not enough.
The reality on the ground consists of structural problems, corruption and even governance, which should be more transparent. Civil society groups must continue to play an active role in monitoring, for instance, money allocated for agriculture.
‘Double Edged Prices’
Oxfam’s study noted that while the world’s attention is currently focused on the global financial crisis, “a large part of the world is also immersed in a dramatic increase in food prices and an equally sharp rise in the price of fuel.”
Prices of staple foods have increased from 30 per cent to 150 per cent in 2007 and 2008. At least 290 million people in countries most vulnerable to the crisis are at risk of falling into poverty.
But while poor farmers and communities in countries like the Philippines face the brunt of the economic crisis, many in the food business appear to be cashing in on the situation. For instance, Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods, a major player in Asia, is forecasting revenue growth of 237 percent this year; Nestlé's global sales grew 8.9 percent in the first half of 2008; Monsanto, the world's largest seed company, reported a 26 percent increase in revenues from March to May 2008. UK supermarket Tesco has reported a record 10 percent jump in profits from last year.
The impact of the crisis could have been prevented, Oxfam stated in its report. “If rich countries, donors, and developing country governments had invested in smallholder agriculture over the past two decades, poor countries and communities would now be far less vulnerable.”
The group observed that the global response to the food prices crisis has been inadequate, in contrast with the response to the current financial crisis, where huge financial resources have been mobilized by the international community in a matter of days.
Countries suffering from the food crisis received promises of just $12.3 billion at the Rome FAO conference in June 2008, short of UN estimates of the $25b-$40b needed (and five months on, little more than $1bn has been disbursed).
Unfortunate.
While an aid agency representative talked about hunger and poverty, a uniformed waiter asked journalists attending a press conference what they prefer for breakfast – bangus belly or chicken-pork adobo.
The woman aid worker narrated how a poor wife somewhere in Africa had to boil water for dinner so that her children could go to sleep. As she talked, forks and spoons clashed over steaming white rice topped with soft egg and achara at the restaurant.
I understand what hunger and poverty is. I understand the dilemma aid workers and nongovernment groups face when they try to put across their message to the public via the media. I understand why only few journalists attended the press con. (It was embarrassing to touch the bangus belly breakfast laid in front of me by the uniformed waiter.)
The world marks World Food Day this week amid the hunger and food insecurity. Hunger and poverty, Lan Mercado of Oxfam, said are here to stay unless the government implements policies to address these threats to our survival.
Mercado’s organization released this week a study that calls on everyone to learn “lessons” from the food price crisis that became more apparent in the Philippines early this year after the price of rice jumped more than a hundred percent.
“Double Edged Prices,” Oxfam’s study, found out that small farmers in developing countries have not benefited from higher food prices partly because of flawed trade and agricultural policies.
Kalayaan Pulido-Constantino, also of Oxfam-Philippines, agreed that the government has indeed a responsibility to address the problem. The Arroyo administration might have exerted efforts to mitigate the situation, but these efforts are not enough.
The reality on the ground consists of structural problems, corruption and even governance, which should be more transparent. Civil society groups must continue to play an active role in monitoring, for instance, money allocated for agriculture.
‘Double Edged Prices’
Oxfam’s study noted that while the world’s attention is currently focused on the global financial crisis, “a large part of the world is also immersed in a dramatic increase in food prices and an equally sharp rise in the price of fuel.”
Prices of staple foods have increased from 30 per cent to 150 per cent in 2007 and 2008. At least 290 million people in countries most vulnerable to the crisis are at risk of falling into poverty.
But while poor farmers and communities in countries like the Philippines face the brunt of the economic crisis, many in the food business appear to be cashing in on the situation. For instance, Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods, a major player in Asia, is forecasting revenue growth of 237 percent this year; Nestlé's global sales grew 8.9 percent in the first half of 2008; Monsanto, the world's largest seed company, reported a 26 percent increase in revenues from March to May 2008. UK supermarket Tesco has reported a record 10 percent jump in profits from last year.
The impact of the crisis could have been prevented, Oxfam stated in its report. “If rich countries, donors, and developing country governments had invested in smallholder agriculture over the past two decades, poor countries and communities would now be far less vulnerable.”
The group observed that the global response to the food prices crisis has been inadequate, in contrast with the response to the current financial crisis, where huge financial resources have been mobilized by the international community in a matter of days.
Countries suffering from the food crisis received promises of just $12.3 billion at the Rome FAO conference in June 2008, short of UN estimates of the $25b-$40b needed (and five months on, little more than $1bn has been disbursed).
Unfortunate.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Readings
I've been reading these days three books, and all of these are about conflict.
First on the list is Paul McGeough's "In Baghdad," his journal of his coverage of the invasion of Iraq.
McGeough, an Australian journalist, wrote about the death of innocent people, the spins made by the regime of Saddam Hussein and the propaganda war waged by the American government.
Part of the book's back cover reads: "His personal diaries are a unique insight into life for reporters behind enemy lines - from the stress of colleagues dying around them to daily battles with a regime that saw them virtually become human shields and always potential hostages."
Then there's Kevin Sites' "In the Hot Zone" that reads like an adventure novel on how one journalist travels from one conflict area to another.
A friend gave me Ishmael Beah's "A long way gone," a true story of a child soldier from Sierra Leone.
First on the list is Paul McGeough's "In Baghdad," his journal of his coverage of the invasion of Iraq.
McGeough, an Australian journalist, wrote about the death of innocent people, the spins made by the regime of Saddam Hussein and the propaganda war waged by the American government.
Part of the book's back cover reads: "His personal diaries are a unique insight into life for reporters behind enemy lines - from the stress of colleagues dying around them to daily battles with a regime that saw them virtually become human shields and always potential hostages."
Then there's Kevin Sites' "In the Hot Zone" that reads like an adventure novel on how one journalist travels from one conflict area to another.
A friend gave me Ishmael Beah's "A long way gone," a true story of a child soldier from Sierra Leone.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Must write whatever
There's a lot of catching up these days - the file of books on the table is growing like the pile of dirt on some streets of the city, the ideas for articles that must be written for some publication have already evaporated into thin air like the smoke that comes out of one's lungs, the deadlines, the plans, the dreams, the rain.
There seems to be no end to the wandering mind, no end to grappling the meaning of things around while trying to put one's feet on the ground and one's head above the crowd.
Mixing metaphors and convoluted sentences seem to be the norm. It's not supposed to happen except when one lets oneself float into the midst of experimentation, which I am good at that's why my stories never won an award at the Ustetika when it was revived in the mid-80s.
Do people these days have to write like that to express themselves, to sound stupid and be "in" in whatever "new trend?"
Whatever!
There seems to be no end to the wandering mind, no end to grappling the meaning of things around while trying to put one's feet on the ground and one's head above the crowd.
Mixing metaphors and convoluted sentences seem to be the norm. It's not supposed to happen except when one lets oneself float into the midst of experimentation, which I am good at that's why my stories never won an award at the Ustetika when it was revived in the mid-80s.
Do people these days have to write like that to express themselves, to sound stupid and be "in" in whatever "new trend?"
Whatever!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Bookfair 2008
After a night of music Friday evening, I went to the MOA-SMX for the annual Philippine International Bookfair.
This year's buys include:
Regret the Error: How Media Mistakes Pollute the Press and Imperil Free Speech (Craig Silverman)
Turning Back the Clock by Umberto Eco
Peeling the Onion by Gunter Grass (Biography)
Rumi's Spiritual Verses
Visnu Sarma's The Pancatantra
Don Marquis'The Annotated Archy and Mehitabel
Infotopia by Cass Sunstein
Essential Whitman
Jason and the Golden Fleece (Apollonius)
Burmese Days by George Orwell
People before Profit by Charles Derber
This year's buys include:
Regret the Error: How Media Mistakes Pollute the Press and Imperil Free Speech (Craig Silverman)
Turning Back the Clock by Umberto Eco
Peeling the Onion by Gunter Grass (Biography)
Rumi's Spiritual Verses
Visnu Sarma's The Pancatantra
Don Marquis'The Annotated Archy and Mehitabel
Infotopia by Cass Sunstein
Essential Whitman
Jason and the Golden Fleece (Apollonius)
Burmese Days by George Orwell
People before Profit by Charles Derber
Friday, September 12, 2008
US elections
US Embassy officials here in Manila did a great job holding a briefing on the US elections for media practitioners. (Despite our being a former colony of the US, it's amazing to know that many of us don't even understand the politics of our colonizers!)
One reason may be why we also don't understand our own politics or how politicians play with us.
Although I was an hour late for the presentation, I enjoyed the question-and-answer portion of the briefing. I realized that indeed Filipinos still have to read a lot to understand a lot - not only US elections. (Some questions were just wacky!)
On another note, I was reading about Palin's candidacy in the Wall Street Journal and was impressed by how she readily answered the issues raised against her. I still have to read the latest issue of Time where she is the cover girl.
By the way, I was glad to meet old friends this week. First, my dear friend Mujiv celebrated his birthday yesterday with a lot of food. (I only ate the shrimps and crabs, with no rice!)
I had another dinner last night with Fr. Bong Dilag to discuss possible projects that could help the Claretian congregation's mission in the Philippines. Arnie, another former seminarian is also in Manila for a ten-day visit, hopefully to share his blessings with our brothers still in formation.
Well, I'm excited to visit the annual book fair this weekend.
One reason may be why we also don't understand our own politics or how politicians play with us.
Although I was an hour late for the presentation, I enjoyed the question-and-answer portion of the briefing. I realized that indeed Filipinos still have to read a lot to understand a lot - not only US elections. (Some questions were just wacky!)
On another note, I was reading about Palin's candidacy in the Wall Street Journal and was impressed by how she readily answered the issues raised against her. I still have to read the latest issue of Time where she is the cover girl.
By the way, I was glad to meet old friends this week. First, my dear friend Mujiv celebrated his birthday yesterday with a lot of food. (I only ate the shrimps and crabs, with no rice!)
I had another dinner last night with Fr. Bong Dilag to discuss possible projects that could help the Claretian congregation's mission in the Philippines. Arnie, another former seminarian is also in Manila for a ten-day visit, hopefully to share his blessings with our brothers still in formation.
Well, I'm excited to visit the annual book fair this weekend.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
On the libel case vs staff of the defunct Chronicle
The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility released the following news article that summarizes the details of a Court of Appeals decision on the libel case filed by a businessman against the staff of the defunct Manila Chronicle.
Saying it would have "a devastating and catastrophic effect on the freedom of speech and of the press," on 28 August 2008 the Court of Appeals (CA) reversed its 18 March decision which upheld a guilty verdict for libel on the staff members of a defunct newspaper.
In its 10-page decision, the CA's Special Former 15th Division granted the petition filed by the staff members of the defunct newspaper "Manila Chronicle". The newspaper staff had asked the appellate court to reconsider its 18 March decision which upheld a 2002 Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) ruling ordering them to pay businessman Alfonso Yuchengco P101 million (approx. US$1.9 million in 2002) worth of damages and legal fees.
The appellants-respondents included The Manila Chronicle Publishing Corp., owner Robert Cuyuito Jr., and editors and reporters Neal Cruz, Ernesto Tolentino, Noel Cabrera, Thelma San Juan, Gerry Zaragosa, Donna Gatdula, Raul Valino, and Rodney Diola.
The "Manila Chronicle" filed a motion for reconsideration before the Court of Appeals questioning the 8 November 2002 decision of Makati RTC Branch 136 finding them guilty of libel. The libel case stemmed from a series of articles published in November and December 1994 in the paper, calling Yuchengco a "Marcos crony" and a "'corporate raider' who engaged in dubious financial transactions," the "Philippine Journalism Review" reported in its December 2002 issue.
In its 18 March decision penned by Associate Justice Agustin Dizon, the online news site GMANews.TV reported, the appellate court denied the "Manila Chronicle"'s motion for reconsideration, saying there was a "preponderance of evidence" to prove there was actual malice in the publication of the articles. It also said the newspaper failed to get Yuchengco's side, and that Cuyuito abused his power as chair and owner of the newspaper to publish defamatory reports against Yuchengco. Cuyuito and Yuchengco are both in the insurance business and were allegedly battling over the ownership of Oriental Petroleum and Mineral Resources Corp. at that time, GMANews.TV noted.
However, on 28 August, the CA's Special Former 15th Division said it found no actual malice in the articles. "The records are bereft of proof of actual malice on the part of the defendants-appellants for the imputations made in the subject articles," said the decision penned by Associate Justice Amelita Tolentino, as quoted by the newspaper "The Manila Times".
It also recognized that the previous decision put aside the appellants' arguments that the articles fell under privileged communication as stated in the Constitution and that its subjects are of public interest, the "Manila Times" reported. The "Manila Chronicle" reports involved publicly listed companies like the Benguet Corp., the Oriental Petroleum and Mineral Resources Corp., and the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., which are of great interest to the general public especially small investors, the "Manila Times" reported.
It further noted that the 18 March ruling neglected to note that Yuchengco is a public figure who has served in various government posts, the "Malaya" newspaper said. Yuchengco has been the presidential adviser on foreign affairs since January 2004.
The CA explained that this makes "good intention and justifiable motive" and truth acceptable defense, "Malaya" reported. "The interest of society and maintenance of good government demand a full discussion of public affairs. Complete liberty to comment on the conduct of public men is a scalpel in the case of free speech. Men in the public eye may suffer under the hostile and unjust accusation (but) the wound can be assuaged with the balm of a clear conscience," the decision pointed out. - CMFR
Election season
The election season has started in the Philippines.
In the middle of the storm right now is the most vocal presidential contender Manny Villar.
Villar has been accused of having a hand in the "road-to-nowhere" controversy that Senator Panfilo Lacson wanted to investigate.
In fairness to Lacson, also a presidential contender, he only called on Villar to look into the possible anomalous allocation of funds in the road project.
Ironically, Villar issued a statement Monday that he wanted the proposed 2009 General Appropriation Act to pass closer scrutiny in both houses of Congress.
And while all these political storm brew in Manila, people in Mindanao, especially in the autonomous region, are leaving their homes for fear that they might be caught in the middle of armed clashes between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters.
In the middle of the storm right now is the most vocal presidential contender Manny Villar.
Villar has been accused of having a hand in the "road-to-nowhere" controversy that Senator Panfilo Lacson wanted to investigate.
In fairness to Lacson, also a presidential contender, he only called on Villar to look into the possible anomalous allocation of funds in the road project.
Ironically, Villar issued a statement Monday that he wanted the proposed 2009 General Appropriation Act to pass closer scrutiny in both houses of Congress.
And while all these political storm brew in Manila, people in Mindanao, especially in the autonomous region, are leaving their homes for fear that they might be caught in the middle of armed clashes between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
SpinSpotter
There’s this new computer software dubbed SpinSpotter, which I tried but failed to make it work this evening.
The idea behind the new software is to spot biased news stories on the Net.
If it will just work properly it would be a great help for journalists, editors especially, to spot errors in stories. It will also help readers “read between the lies” in media.
A story in the Wall Street Journal today said the software is supposed to flag and comment on questionable content using a guide to potential inaccuracies and biases created by a panel of journalists.
I installed the program on my desktop (Note: It only works on Firefox 3.1) and tried to flag stories on GMANews.TV. I thought that it would automatically lock into errors (for instance a sentence that is in the passive form), but it is the user who has to highlight the error and identify it.
I haven’t fully studied the program, but the idea is interesting.
The idea behind the new software is to spot biased news stories on the Net.
If it will just work properly it would be a great help for journalists, editors especially, to spot errors in stories. It will also help readers “read between the lies” in media.
A story in the Wall Street Journal today said the software is supposed to flag and comment on questionable content using a guide to potential inaccuracies and biases created by a panel of journalists.
I installed the program on my desktop (Note: It only works on Firefox 3.1) and tried to flag stories on GMANews.TV. I thought that it would automatically lock into errors (for instance a sentence that is in the passive form), but it is the user who has to highlight the error and identify it.
I haven’t fully studied the program, but the idea is interesting.
Friday, August 08, 2008
On second thought
I changed my mind. I think I'm not getting that Acer Aspire One. I might go for the full notebook instead of a sub-notebook.
* * *
The Beijing Olympics opened this evening. I've waited for some time for the Philippine delegation during the parade of participating countries. Unfortunately, when the Philippines' time to show up came, it only merited about three seconds on TV.
* * *
Another journalist has been killed. I had several interviews and most of the questions asked by colleagues is: What can we do to stop the attacks?
What should we do? If only I know.
What I know is that government must do something more to look for the perpetrators of crimes - all crimes, not only those committed against media practitioners.
Second, we should always be careful.
Third. I really don't know. How can one fight evil?
* * *
* * *
The Beijing Olympics opened this evening. I've waited for some time for the Philippine delegation during the parade of participating countries. Unfortunately, when the Philippines' time to show up came, it only merited about three seconds on TV.
* * *
Another journalist has been killed. I had several interviews and most of the questions asked by colleagues is: What can we do to stop the attacks?
What should we do? If only I know.
What I know is that government must do something more to look for the perpetrators of crimes - all crimes, not only those committed against media practitioners.
Second, we should always be careful.
Third. I really don't know. How can one fight evil?
* * *
888
What in the world am I doing at past two in the morning when people are asleep?
What in the world one must do when life is short and there's a lot to enjoy - books, the Internet, stories of people (the ordinary and not-so-ordinary), the silence of the night, the noise of the city, stringing up words that nobody read.
* * *
The Olympics will start later today. I will be there, albeit virtually.
* * *
Some people have been waiting for this day - 888 (August 8, 2008) - when luck is supposed to hit those who believe.
I will most likely sleep the whole morning, grant an interview for, all of publications, a real estate magazine, spend the evening monitoring the news from Beijing, and hoping to have that Acer Aspire One from Singapore by next week.
What in the world one must do when life is short and there's a lot to enjoy - books, the Internet, stories of people (the ordinary and not-so-ordinary), the silence of the night, the noise of the city, stringing up words that nobody read.
* * *
The Olympics will start later today. I will be there, albeit virtually.
* * *
Some people have been waiting for this day - 888 (August 8, 2008) - when luck is supposed to hit those who believe.
I will most likely sleep the whole morning, grant an interview for, all of publications, a real estate magazine, spend the evening monitoring the news from Beijing, and hoping to have that Acer Aspire One from Singapore by next week.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Back to the city
I'm back in Manila after spending a week under the sun. I'm back in front of my computer, back driving in the city, back to meeting people and talking about theories, concepts and plots.
It's simpler in the province. There, I wake up early in the morning, listen to the birds, look out the window into the wide expanse of fields and mountains, start the day with a breakfast of fresh fruits, vegetables and seafoods, give a talk to kids who dream of becoming nurses and caregivers abroad, take a swim in the sea, eat, drink, sleep.
Out there there's life. Here in the city, one has to find one.
It's simpler in the province. There, I wake up early in the morning, listen to the birds, look out the window into the wide expanse of fields and mountains, start the day with a breakfast of fresh fruits, vegetables and seafoods, give a talk to kids who dream of becoming nurses and caregivers abroad, take a swim in the sea, eat, drink, sleep.
Out there there's life. Here in the city, one has to find one.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Going on vacation
It has been a while since I went on a real vacation. It was a pleasure to have it last week, at least for three days.
I went swimming, walking, driving to the mountains, eating and chatting with dear old friends and former classmates.
As I've written in my other blog, the sea in my hometown is still salty, the trees green and the sunshine still stings - and I love it there.
And what's more important, there was no need for me to spend that much to enjoy life. Lying down on the sand while gazing at the wide expanse of sky is free.
I'm looking forward to that next vacation!
I went swimming, walking, driving to the mountains, eating and chatting with dear old friends and former classmates.
As I've written in my other blog, the sea in my hometown is still salty, the trees green and the sunshine still stings - and I love it there.
And what's more important, there was no need for me to spend that much to enjoy life. Lying down on the sand while gazing at the wide expanse of sky is free.
I'm looking forward to that next vacation!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The ‘culture of impunity’ and press freedom
Among journalists in the field, there is no doubt about the so-called “culture of impunity.” Although many among media practitioners don’t know what this “culture” means, much more understand its nuances, they know that impunity stares at them every moment of their lives – killers drink with them Friday evenings, masterminds of heinous crimes attend Mass with them on Sundays, drug traffickers and pickpockets, kidnappers and even terrorists are sources of information.
Through the years, Filipino journalists, especially those based in the provinces, have become witnesses of how society and its actors – criminals, government officials, the police and the military – work. Journalists do their job– to witness and chronicle events around them. There was a time in the past that the media and media practitioners played active roles in resolving conflicts.
There was also a time, not so long ago, that from the eyes of criminals, the media and media practitioners were not threats to illegal activities. There were times that even some media practitioners were into illegal activities themselves or were involved in some illicit acts.
The media and most media practitioners are well aware how wide and broad the reach of criminals. Journalists know how criminals work. That is why when media practitioners became the target, they were afraid.
In the early 1990s, I went home to Mindanao to write a story about a family of politicians who lorded it over in at least three provinces since 1945. Many of their political opponents were killed, lawyers who handled the cases of the victims were either killed, threatened or "bought." So were the judges and prosecutors. I still remember how one courageous prosecutor was ambushed while he was on his way to court one early Monday morning. I wrote the family’s story. My report came out in the front pages of several national and local papers. Days later, some of the newspapers retracted the story and apologized, one continued to publish my follow-up reports and was sued. The editor of the local paper that reprinted the story was killed. I haven’t dared go back to that province. The family of warlords still reigns, although some of them met violent ends. Nobody dared to write another story about that family.
In a celebrated case of a journalist’s murder, the gunman was convicted, but was not brought to the national penitentiary until media groups discovered that the convict was operating a videoke bar beside the provincial jail and was playing tennis with the jail warden once a week. The mastermind or masterminds of the murder are still at large. A high-ranking intelligence official in the province said he has an inkling who the mastermind was, a gun for hire said he knows the mastermind. The gunman refused to talk. Those in the know said the gunman prefers to be in jail and keep his silence than end up silenced. Local journalists who knew the real story left the profession and also kept their silence. I tried to do a story about it and ended up being the subject of privilege speech in Congress and declared persona non grata in that province.
In another case of media killing where a policeman was charged, a witness was arrested by police officers inside the courtroom when he was about to testify. The arresting officers said the witness was a suspect in an estafa case. The judge did not do anything. There was no objection from anyone. The case remains in limbo.
In the case of the killing of an environmental journalist somewhere in Luzon, the gunmen confessed to the crime. He said the mastermind was the town mayor who was not charged by the prosecutors. Media groups raised hell until the Justice department transferred the case to Manila. The mayor was arrested and charged but tried to negotiate a deal with the victim’s family.
These are clear examples how impunity in the cases of the killings of journalists in the country hinders, if not threatens, press freedom. Based on the list by the National Union of Journalists, 93 journalists were killed for whatever reason since 1986. Whether their deaths were related to their work or not is supposed to be for the courts to determine. But until now, the cases are not prospering in the courts. In the few instances when cases prospered, people in power – politicians and even some police officers, were involved.
There are many reasons given why the cases are not moving. The media understand these reasons. Journalists talk to lawyers, judges, and attend court hearings. Many reporters even go to law school. The media can understand the many weaknesses in the system. What is difficult to understand, however, is the seeming apathy even among people who are supposed to be in the know – journalists and lawyers – in responding to the situation. In 2005, there were about 50 journalists killed since 1986, but nobody wrote about it, talked about it, met about it, much more file a case in court, until the international community started to look into the situation.
Who would want to write about what’s really going on in the southern Philippines? Who would want to write about drug syndicates and kidnap-for-ransom syndicates? Who would dare talk about the real story of the Abu Sayyaf, the corruption in government involving those in power? Nobody seems to dare write about the truth these days because people – witnesses, journalists, lawyers – are afraid. Because those who dare talk are silenced and those behind the attacks of journalists and lawyers remain unpunished. What press freedom? There is none until the so-called culture of impunity continues to reign in this country.
(This is an edited version of the author’s speech before prosecutors, members of the Philippine Bar and representatives of various international lawyers group and civil society groups during the “International Training Course on the Investigation and Prosecution of Extrajudicial Killings, Enforced Disappearances and Torture for Public Prosecutors and Legal Practitioners” in Subic, Zambales over the weekend.)
Through the years, Filipino journalists, especially those based in the provinces, have become witnesses of how society and its actors – criminals, government officials, the police and the military – work. Journalists do their job– to witness and chronicle events around them. There was a time in the past that the media and media practitioners played active roles in resolving conflicts.
There was also a time, not so long ago, that from the eyes of criminals, the media and media practitioners were not threats to illegal activities. There were times that even some media practitioners were into illegal activities themselves or were involved in some illicit acts.
The media and most media practitioners are well aware how wide and broad the reach of criminals. Journalists know how criminals work. That is why when media practitioners became the target, they were afraid.
In the early 1990s, I went home to Mindanao to write a story about a family of politicians who lorded it over in at least three provinces since 1945. Many of their political opponents were killed, lawyers who handled the cases of the victims were either killed, threatened or "bought." So were the judges and prosecutors. I still remember how one courageous prosecutor was ambushed while he was on his way to court one early Monday morning. I wrote the family’s story. My report came out in the front pages of several national and local papers. Days later, some of the newspapers retracted the story and apologized, one continued to publish my follow-up reports and was sued. The editor of the local paper that reprinted the story was killed. I haven’t dared go back to that province. The family of warlords still reigns, although some of them met violent ends. Nobody dared to write another story about that family.
In a celebrated case of a journalist’s murder, the gunman was convicted, but was not brought to the national penitentiary until media groups discovered that the convict was operating a videoke bar beside the provincial jail and was playing tennis with the jail warden once a week. The mastermind or masterminds of the murder are still at large. A high-ranking intelligence official in the province said he has an inkling who the mastermind was, a gun for hire said he knows the mastermind. The gunman refused to talk. Those in the know said the gunman prefers to be in jail and keep his silence than end up silenced. Local journalists who knew the real story left the profession and also kept their silence. I tried to do a story about it and ended up being the subject of privilege speech in Congress and declared persona non grata in that province.
In another case of media killing where a policeman was charged, a witness was arrested by police officers inside the courtroom when he was about to testify. The arresting officers said the witness was a suspect in an estafa case. The judge did not do anything. There was no objection from anyone. The case remains in limbo.
In the case of the killing of an environmental journalist somewhere in Luzon, the gunmen confessed to the crime. He said the mastermind was the town mayor who was not charged by the prosecutors. Media groups raised hell until the Justice department transferred the case to Manila. The mayor was arrested and charged but tried to negotiate a deal with the victim’s family.
These are clear examples how impunity in the cases of the killings of journalists in the country hinders, if not threatens, press freedom. Based on the list by the National Union of Journalists, 93 journalists were killed for whatever reason since 1986. Whether their deaths were related to their work or not is supposed to be for the courts to determine. But until now, the cases are not prospering in the courts. In the few instances when cases prospered, people in power – politicians and even some police officers, were involved.
There are many reasons given why the cases are not moving. The media understand these reasons. Journalists talk to lawyers, judges, and attend court hearings. Many reporters even go to law school. The media can understand the many weaknesses in the system. What is difficult to understand, however, is the seeming apathy even among people who are supposed to be in the know – journalists and lawyers – in responding to the situation. In 2005, there were about 50 journalists killed since 1986, but nobody wrote about it, talked about it, met about it, much more file a case in court, until the international community started to look into the situation.
Who would want to write about what’s really going on in the southern Philippines? Who would want to write about drug syndicates and kidnap-for-ransom syndicates? Who would dare talk about the real story of the Abu Sayyaf, the corruption in government involving those in power? Nobody seems to dare write about the truth these days because people – witnesses, journalists, lawyers – are afraid. Because those who dare talk are silenced and those behind the attacks of journalists and lawyers remain unpunished. What press freedom? There is none until the so-called culture of impunity continues to reign in this country.
(This is an edited version of the author’s speech before prosecutors, members of the Philippine Bar and representatives of various international lawyers group and civil society groups during the “International Training Course on the Investigation and Prosecution of Extrajudicial Killings, Enforced Disappearances and Torture for Public Prosecutors and Legal Practitioners” in Subic, Zambales over the weekend.)
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