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The journalists’ agenda

As both sides of the political conflict battle for the hearts and minds of the people, members of media have to confront the dilemma whether they are being used to further one’s side agenda.

My friends and I addressed that issue when we obtained copies of the photos showing the manufacturing of fake election returns by operators identified with Gloria Arroyo. Those fake election returns were produced to match the tampered Certificates of Canvass done by the team of Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano immediately after the 2004 elections.

Those tampered COCs were the basis of the proclamation of Arroyo in the wee hours of the morning, when the rest of the nation was asleep, as winner by the administration-dominated Congress. The fake ERs had to be produced in anticipation of the opening of the ballot boxes by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal in connection with the electoral protest filed by the late Fernando Poe, Jr. (The Supreme Court, convening as the PET, later dismissed FPJ’s protest after his death.)

My friends and I agreed that we would not concern ourselves with the agenda of the sources, but just to make sure that the facts and the pictures given to us were true and real.

Once the facts were ascertained to be true, we made sure that the story be written accurately and objectively.

There’s only one agenda that journalists should serve: the truth.

* * *

Last Monday, as Gloria Arroyo ordered a “one comprehensive, continuing sweep” against those who, she feels threaten her hold on power, rumors of another round of raids on media offices circulated in text messages.

In the case of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, it was learned that a search warrant was being prepared by a Quezon City judge.

Following is the account posted by Sheila Coronel, PCIJ executive director, in their blog late Monday night.

“Late this afternoon, three members of the Central Police District, accompanied by sound engineer Jonathan Tiongco, asked a Quezon City judge to issue a warrant that will allow the police to search the office of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, apparently in connection with a charge of inciting to sedition.

“The PCIJ received confirmation of the application from well-placed sources in the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) and the Quezon City Police. Court and police sources say that an earlier application for a search warrant was turned down last Friday by another Quezon City judge. This apparently prompted the police and Tiongco to apply today for a search warrant with another judge, Alan Balot of RTC Branch 76.

“Alerted by the PCIJ, journalists from various media organizations waited outside Balot’s office while the hearing for the search warrant, which began at about 4:30 p.m., lasted past office closing hours this afternoon. The judge emerged from his office at about 5:30 p.m., but refused to talk to reporters.

“Interviewed by GMA-7 reporter Sandra Aguinaldo, Tiongco only said that the hearing had been cancelled. The clerk of court, meanwhile, told Aguinaldo that the there was no hearing, only an application for a search warrant.

“The PCIJ and other journalists have been unable to confirm whether the judge granted the request for a warrant. But some court sources say that the presence of journalists prevented the warrant’s issuance today.”

PCIJ lawyer Sandy Coronel said during the Senate hearing on media crackdown that she went back to the offices of the two Quezon City judges yesterday to check if a search warrant was issued. She was told by the clerk that there was no record of it. Neither was there a record of the application for a search warrant.

But, Sandy said, “I saw with my own eyes Tiongco and three policemen waiting outside the office of Judge Balot (apparently waiting for the search warrant).”

The clerk couldn’t explain the mystery.

Published inMalaya

32 Comments

  1. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    LUTONG MAKAW! Lutong Malacanang! The illegitimate Arroyo government is desperate and using witch hunt to persecute her known political enemies. The abrupt resignation of Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo can be interpreted as a total failure of Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts to convince the Supreme Court and the Filipino nation the legality of Proclamation 1017 and gag order presidential decree 464. Communists-rightists alliance power grab script is shattered at the beginning of the event. Gloria Arroyo is guilty of suppressing free press and electoral fraud cover-ups.

  2. Tomas Tomas

    Ako lang ba? Hindi ko ma-access ang Tribune website.

  3. The truth to counter all the lies!

    Tulad ng sinabi ni DJB na ang resulta ng PP 1017

    ay ETERNAL VIGILANCE!

    nakita na natin sa unang star witness nila(hooded ex npa) na sunod sunod na kasinungalingan na..

    kaming mga mamamayan na galit sa mga agenda na hindi tumutungo sa katotohanan.

    Kayo Ellen ang aming inaasahan na magpapatuloy sa pagpalabas ng KATOTOHANA..pangontra sa PROPAGANDA!

  4. Para sa Kanto Mama Para sa Kanto Mama

    Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.
    Akala ko Muslim na babae. Pwede palang nakatalukbong sa court ang witness. Ano kaya ang itinatago, ang mukha o ang katotohanan? Buying time through court theatrics.

  5. luzviminda luzviminda

    Ellen & Tomas: Ako rin, di maka-access. Pati sa Abante Tonight.

  6. juanito dela cruz juanito dela cruz

    pati yung channel 37, untv, di rin mapanood mabuti, may intermittence.

    praning na si gloria arroyo, sabi ko nga nuon, nahostage siya ng military at police. puppet on a string na lang silang nasa palasyo. huli na ang lahat para sa kanila.

    panoorin lang natin yung ginagawa niya, yung mga kasinungalingan niya sa harap ng maraming tao, maaaliw na tayo. nakakawala ng problema kahit konti.di na magtatagal yan, doomed to fail na.

    tyl

  7. ystakei ystakei

    Ellen,

    I was a foreign observer in Tokyo during the election, and all my fellow observers and poll watchers noticed that several ballots had the same names of candidates in the same order and with only one handwriting when they were supposed to have been sent by mail to the embassy and consulate a month earlier than the election in the Philippines.

    When I questioned the obvious tampering of the ballots a day after the canvassing of votes here, and a Japanese friend pointed out the discrepancies in the number of registered voters who sent their ballots back to the embassy, and the number of votes cast, plus the obvious shredding of votes from both FPJ and Roco that were added to the Criminal’s, I was given the flimsy excuse that the embassy had no way of checking because the returns had all been sent to the Comelec in Manila by diplomatic pouch.

    Now, what I noticed likewise was the fact that those who took charge of the elections here were either Kabalens of the Midget and political appointees and therefore likely to cheat for her in what in legal parlance is called “conflict of interests.”

    It is for this reason that I believe 100 percent the authenticity of this revelation by Newsbreak. It has happened in Japan, and must have happened elsewhere, likewise, with the Criminal having the money to pay these people who can cheat for her.

    A gambling lord based in Cebu in fact has told me of the 5M peso each asked from people like him by the Fat Guy for his wife’s campaing fund. Even Pacquiao, I understand, has become a big donor to this fund to bribe “loyalists” even now, for as the gambling lord said, “Maliit lang iyon kumpara sa pagsara ng business namin kapag hindi kami mag-cooperate!”

    I actually have never heard of this kind of corruption even during the time of Marcos. At least, Imelda could still be a little less garapal, I understand, compared to the Fat Guy and his missy.

    Worst is when the Criminal squanders funds intended for the poor OFWs to make sure she has money to bribe those who can help her stay at the palace by the murky river. At least, I understand that Marcos did not use for example the fund he had instructed collected for the lowly employees of the Justice Department that unfortunately was coveted by Davide during his reign there with the consent of his patron saint, the Criminal he protected.

    Kawawang mga pilipino, who are saddled with first class crooks and criminals.

  8. ystakei ystakei

    BTW, I’m glad to know that Benipayo has resigned. Time for him to redeem his good name as a matter of fact.

    I met him many years ago, to be exact, just after EDSA 2 when he desperately wanted to be confirmed as Comelec Chief Commissioner.

    I felt sorry for this fellow UPian, and I wondered what had happened to the UP spirit that I tried to uphold, and that was the principle of not comprimising with the crooks but always critical of these people in a establishment ala-Mafia!

    Now, I hope he will join the ranks of Frank Chavez, who, BTW, is one guy to watch. People who have known tyranny in fact can make good leaders, that is if they have fought for their ideals as honestly and sincerely as they are prompted to do so, not because of a silly ambition and illusion that they have been chosen by God!!!

    Good luck to Benipayo!

  9. a de brux a de brux

    Gloria has been mouthing the same martial line: “The COMMUNISTS ARE COMING!”

    Stupid woman! She’s not even capable of lying properly.

    These NPAs were a result of the society’s total and utter neglect towards their brethren.

    They are also a product of government’s ethnic cleansing agenda that has stretched for the last 50 years.

    They are the children of the people whom the military have alienated and continue to alienate through armed violence…

    Ang Gloria continues to propagate the killing fields but her version.

  10. a de brux a de brux

    Gloria is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

    What she is doing today is militicking (military politicking), really nothing more nothing less.

    Her words and deeds are hollow and they don’t fool em real military guys.

    She’s dividing the military in the same manner that she’s been dividing the nation.

    That’s very very bad business. Terribly dangerous tack. It will backfire.

    A commander in chief cannot divide the nation’s military because the military is the backbone of a democratic republic and when you break that backbone, it causes them good guys GREAT PAIN.

    That great pain will translate into rebellion.

  11. a de brux a de brux

    You will find that history has shown us that whenever a national leader, a commander in chief “toyed” with military tenet of armed strength and wielded it like a sword of Damocles against the citizenry or against the military’s own brothers in arms, the act provoked cracks in the armed forces ranks. The cracks swelled into divisions and the divisions created a revolution.

  12. a de brux a de brux

    Amazing really that Gloria has not learned anything from history…

    While history shouldn’t always repeat itself, Gloria is hell bent on history repeating itself.

    It’s so uncanny but Gloria’s model of governance and rule is French Revolution’s reign under Robespierre. The 4 years of Robespierre reign was total corruption of the military and civilian components of the French Republic.

    Robespierre used and wielded the military like his own sword of Damocles. He used the Republic’s coffers as his personal piggy bank. He dismantled the Republican institutions that the Council of the French Revolution had tried to set up. He fought with and antagonized the People’s Assembly (parliament), threatened them with anything he could think of. He even had Danton, one of the major heroes of the Revolution and a firm Republican in Parliament assasinated for speaking up against him. He used his friends, members of his family to do his bidding (like Iggy Pidal and Fatman, Lulli, Mikey, etc.)

    That chapter of French Revolution history under Robespierre’s reign was known historically as the Reign of Terror.

    When Robespierre started to feel the pinch of the people’s Assembly and the mutiny of the Republican Guards (military), he sent Napoleon to quell that mutiny in one of the bloodiest military to military fightings.

    Napoleon won the day for him but in the end, Robespierre he lost his head in Place de la Concorde – guillotined. Napoleon started his climb to becoming the leader of a military-civilian junta. Later on, Napoleon just evicted all of them and MARTIAL RULE took over.

    That’s what happens when a leader plays with the military and uses it against its own brothers in arms and against the honorable citizens of the Republic.

  13. a de brux a de brux

    Voltaire, one of the greatest philosophers, writers, satirists and political lampoonists of the last 3 centuries was a proponent of FREE SPEECH.

    Because of this, he suffered imprisonment, exile and deprived of his liberty to live in the country that he dearly loved.

    His treatises on free speech and the tenets of a real democracy were one of the backbones of the French Revolution of 1789.

    When the Louis the 16th’s Ministers gagged Voltaire depriving him of his freedom of speech, they simply created a more formidable foe, one that helped ignite their overthrow.

    Gloria is being stupid and absolutely dumb. Human nature has never changed over the centuries, they fight for their freedom all the more strongly when their freedom is threatened…

    I doubt Gloria ever read history outside of the history of Cebu and Lapulapu.

  14. a de brux a de brux

    (Might Nene Pimentel be Gloria’s “Danton”?)

    GLORIA’S SCURRILOUS LIBEL
    Yesterday, I had to stand up on the floor of the senate to denounce the insidious attempt of Gloria to implicate me in the plots to oust her forcibly.

    I denied I had anything to do with any plot covert, overt or otherwise to topple her administration.

    Gloria and her male and female political strumpets have issued a disc that has some generals describing “operation hackle”, a so-called plot hatched by
    military putchists, communists, professionals and united opposition personalities. It was at the point when the voice over commentator talked of the involvement of the united opposition that the disk features me laughing
    with jamby madrigal at the rally on feb 24 at the ninoy Aquino monument in ayala ave., Makati.

    One thing they probably missed is that I have never been to any meeting open or secret of the United Opposition. I have always publicly declared that my role as an oppositionist could best be done on the floor of the senate. But after 1017, when she prohibited even peaceful rallies, I decided to show my face at the ayala rally, the first and only time up to this point that I
    have done so. And I dared them to arrest me openly at the rally.

    I called the contents of the disk as far as they relate to me “a scurrilous libel” and an invitation to (my) assassination by the trigger happy hacks of Gloria in the military and police.

    I don’t know how this latest caper of Gloria will play out. But I do not intend to be intimidated by this ersatz marcos pretender. In the meantime, my friend, take care. And God be with you and your people.

    n

    Office of Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr.
    Senate of the Philippines
    Pasay City
    website: http://www.nenepimentel.org
    email: nenepimentel@pldtdsl.net

  15. Anino Anino

    IF the Chief of Staff and all officers down the line should be chosen directly by the soldiers themselves, we might be able to expect a more independent, professional Armed Forces.

    The same process could be applied to the Judiciary, Comelec, and the rest of the bureacracy.

    Every section of the government must be independent from one another. There won’t be conflicts if they stick to their predefined functions.

    The longer Glueria stays, the better changes to this system we might be able to think about.

    So, Ms. Glueria Macapal Dorovo, what’s more in store for us? Is that all you could do? A second rate… trying hard… copy-cat of Marcos? Ang layo-layo mo pa!
    ——

    By the way, I think the reason why she wants to stay a bit longer is the Marcos Wealth. The book of Erick San Juan suggesting 600,000 tons of Marcos gold [from Mt. Diwalwal, Yamashita treasure, etc.], [as confirmed by Don Enrique Zobel?] is something one could not ignore once in the best position to close a deal with this people. Already, they are talking of 30/70. But the same book speak of 20/80 as per alleged photocopy of Marcos’ Last Will… 80% for the Pinoys, and 20% for Imelda and the rest of the Marcos family. What if the 10% discrepancy will be pocketed by GMA & Co.?

    10% of US$ 7 Trillion is… Redemption!

    Anyway, the process of actually recovering the fabled Marcos Loot, whatever the true amount is, could be easier said than done. But just a tip of it is always worth the effort. So “I should stay a bit longer.”

    Endure, people!

  16. a de brux a de brux

    Ellen,

    Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.

    I don’t think anybody should wiggle out of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Anybody that wiggles out of that should be brought to the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg or in Brussels and be judged accordingly… Gloria must not breach that with impunity.

    The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is like Moses’ Ten Commandments – no ifs and no buts…

    One is free to break the ten commandments but he must face the consequence and be man or woman enough to take the punishment.

    As the law implicitly states: “Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time!”

    And this tacit legal doctrine applies too to the highest officer of the land…

  17. a de brux a de brux

    Ellen,

    Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.

    I don’t think anybody should wiggle out of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Anybody that wiggles out of that should be brought to the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg or in Brussels and be judged accordingly… Gloria must not breach that with impunity.

    The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is like Moses’ Ten Commandments – no ifs and no buts…

    One is free to break the ten commandments but he must face the consequence and be man or woman enough to take the punishment.

    As the law implicitly states: “Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time!”

    And this tacit legal doctrine applies too to the highest officer of the land…

  18. Let the history judge Gloria Macapal Arroyo. Gloria is a descendant of the executioner of Andres Bonifacio, Lazaro Macapagal, while her esposo Fat Guy- Jaun Miguel Arroyo is also a descendant of gambling lord coddling, Mariano Arroyo- former governor of Iloilo during the American era in the Philippines. Same feather iba!! Lying, cheating, thieving are their language. Suppressing our constitutional rights, including our souls. Parading a uncredible witness against her critics_ makapili style hidding their faces. Gloria will use all tactics to stay in power till death in Malacanang.

  19. a de brux a de brux

    Bahhh… Urgie, I don’t mind if she dies in Malacanang but I do hope those who topple her won’t destroy the Palace – it’s part of Filipino heritage.

    And while we are at it, if she dies in Malacanang, I hope they don’t bury her there.

  20. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Acting Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez helped drafted de-facto martial law “National Emergency Proclamation 1017” to crackdown GMA’s political opponents and critics. Maybe he learned a lot as a human rights lawyer during U.S.- Marcos Dictatorship. This time Raul Gonzalez is the TORMENTOR of bogus president Gloria Arroyo. It appears that those individuals or groups who disagreed and exposed Arroyo government abuses are persecuted and harassed. He threatens the media with sedition. The government needs more prison camps and torture chambers to accommodate dissenters. It’s about time to label the Gonzalez’ Department of Injustice the worst abuser of human rights next to Philippine National Police.

  21. Tomas Tomas

    Dalawang araw nang hind ma-access ang Tribune website.

  22. myrna myrna

    Sige lang Gloria, lahat may katapusan. Think of Saddam, Milosevich, and all other despots.

  23. I just talked with Niñez. She said it’s a server problem. They are working on it.

  24. myrna myrna

    maraming salamat Ellen. At least alam ni Ninez na nag worry mga readers niya.

    my other wish: for Gloria to suffer the same fate of either Saddam Hussein or Milosevich, or even worse. oh…. that would be THE DAY!!

    and funny that in one of the newspapers, the picture of GMA seated while our PM Helen Clark was on her toes, talking to GMA. i hope na lecture-an man lang si Arroyo sa mga katarantaduhan niya.

    NZ Herald, today’s issue reported that GMA vowed to follow rule of law. naku, parang gusto kong sulatan si Helen Clark na wag magpadala sa pambobola ng babaeng yan. Though I did not vote for Labour (I voted for National), alam kong na=feel din ni Helen Clark ang pagka ipokrita ni Gloria.

    Tingnan nga natin mga developments, NZ and RP relations.

    Para meeting ng dalawang babaeng leaders, kuntodo armado mga nagbabantay. I think Helen Clark must have had a shock. Dito, kahit mag isa, naglalakad ang Prime Minister sa daan…walang gwardiya. At walang pinapalampas, mismong sasakyan niya, nabigyan ng parking ticket! Kung sa PInas, ay ewan ko…..

    Ellen, sana naman maipagpatuloy pa itong pakikipaglaban sa pekeng administrasyon, at sana naman, lalong tumapang yung mga lumalaban na, at yung iba naman na patay-sa-damuhan, walang pakialam, time to wake up!!!!

    Thank you uli.

  25. ystakei ystakei

    Ito ang isang palitan namin ni Anna:

    Anna:

    Over here, we are lucky to have all kinds of political parties, even communist and socialist parties, which are being useful in keeping the balance of power, and prevent government officials, elected and civil service eligibles, from abusing, and not forget who butter their bread and be grateful.

    It is one reason I guess why not so many Japanese are interested in becoming government employees and/or becoming politicians especially if one does not want to find himself/herself being treated really like a servant as public servants are expected to be and act.

    Another thing is we have a real strong press in Japan. Members of the Nippon Press Club keep an eye on our politicians, and no one can be allowed or allow themselves to be cajoled into submission like how the Midget has tried to flatter Mike Enriquez and rally him behind her.

    Good thing that Mike Enriquez is not Japanese or he would be subjected to scrutiny and suspicion after all those BS praises from the criminal who does not want to step down and take legal responsibilities for all the crimes that she and her minions commit against the people of the Republic of the Philippines. Mapriprito si Mike Enriquez ng buhay kung dito siya!

    This is how we stop corruption in Japan, even by public outcry through rallies and the free press, or even standing in the middle of the lobby of the Diet and not being arrested by the police as long as one is not armed and conceived as a threat to public law and order! Police here know they are themselves subject to the law and the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, assembly and the press.

    Also, Japanese society is not as tolerant as the Filipino society that can even agree to the BS of a propaganda that the criminal calling herself president is indispensible and irreplaceable. Over here, one like the Midget is expected to commit suicide to save face! Rather drastic but very effective in keeping politics in Japan under control by the people, for the people and of the people.

    —a de brux wrote:
    >
    > Members of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s government particularly DOJ Chief
    > Gonzales and Press Secretary Buny have no qualms about breaking and twisting
    > the law. They are EXTREMELY LUCKY they are Philippine officials in Gloria
    > Mandaraya-Arroyo¹s government and not in France.
    >
    > The French feel VERY STRONGLY for their beliefs and their rights, the French
    > Revolution of 1789 proved it and continue to prove it with the non-stop
    > demonstrations in France.
    >
    > The political crimes that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her government have
    > committed, their continuing wanton disregard for the most basic human
    > rights, e.g., the violation of Dinky Soliman, Enteng Romero and company very
    > basic human right to a stroll ³protest², would have earned them the
    > POLITICAL GUILLOTINE and jail sentences in France.
    >
    > Had CLAUDIO, DEFENSOR, AVELINO CRUZ, LUMIBAO, RAUL GONZALES, ERMITA, BUNYE,
    > PUNO NORBERTO GONZALES, QUEROL, SENGA, ESPERON been French, French
    > demonstrators of all political colors would never have tolerated a minute of
    > their political existence; demonstrators and protesters of all political
    > colors would have flocked to the streets nationwide and would have torn
    > these guys down from their pedestal without an iota of hesitation.
    >
    > But I have no doubt the Filipinos will get to the same level of feeling for
    > their rightsŠ After all, wasn¹t Bonifacio influenced by his readings on the
    > French Revolution of 1789?
    >

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