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Talo ang media, talo ang bayan

Hindi ako nagtataka na si Rep. Monico Puentebella ay nagsusulong ng bill na labag sa Constitution. Alam naman nating ang suporta ni Puentebella sa isang presidente peke.

Kung kaya mong ipikit ang mata mo sa pandaraya at pagnanakaw ni Gloria Arroyo, ibig sabihin noon hindi mo alam ang diperensya ng tama at ng mali.Kaya hindi ako nagtataka sa kanyang House Bill 3306 na nagu-utos sa media na kapag may sinulat laban sa kanila, ang sagot nila ay dapat ilalabas sa parehong lugar at parehong haba sa lob ng tatlong araw.

Kapag hindi ito ginawa ng diyaryo, reporter or columnist, may kaukulang parusa. Nandyan ang magbabayad ng P50,000 hanggang P200,000. Nandyan rin ang pagkakulong.

Ang pinagtataka ko ay si Sen. Aquilino Pimentel. Siya ang may-akda ng counterpart bill sa Senado.

Isa si Pimentel sa lumaban ng diktaturya ni Ferdinand Marcos. Pinaglaban niya ang kalayaan ng Filipino. Alam niya ang malaking papel ng media sa paglaban sa mga taong gustong alisin ang kalayaan ng Filipino upang manatili sila sa kapangyarihan. Alam niya ang malaking papel ng media para nagkaroon tayo ng maayos na pamahalaan.

Ipina-alam ko kay Pimentel ang aking pagkabahala. Sabi niya kung babasahin daw ang laman at ang intensyon ng kanyang bill, hindi raw dapat mabahala dahil may kasama raw yun na bill na ginagawang hindi krimen ang libel. Hindi makukulong ang sino man na mapatunayang guilty sa libel. Babayad lang. Meron daw probisyon doon hanggang matuto ang mga journalist na ayusin ang aming grupo.

Alam ko marami sa mga taga-media ay abusado. Ngunit may batas tayo para maparusahan ang lumalabag sa batas. Nandyan ang libel law. Maraming taga-media na ang naparusahan sa ilalim ng batas na yan. Kahit nga ang mga nanalo ay parang naparusahan na rin sa laki ng perwisyo at gastos sa abogado. At ang alam kong ilang kaso na nakulong ang reporter sa libel ay alam kung totoo ang report. Wala lang pera ang reporter pangtustus sa kaso.

Ang alam kung isang kaso na nadehado ng journalist ang isang negosyante ay ang kaso ng dating Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo at ng yumao ng si Max Soliven. Binanatan na binanatan ni Soliven si Romulo dahil suspetsa niya sinisiraan siya kay Gloria Arroyo. Katulad ng gusto ni Romulo kasama siya sa lunch sa White House samantalang mga opisyal lang dapat.(Si dating Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo ang inalis sa listahan para maipasok si Soliven.)

Sumulat si Romulo sa Philippine Star ng kanyang panig. Hindi nilabas ng Star ang buong artikulo. Gumawa lang sila ng maigisng news item. Nilabas yun ng buo ng ibang diyaryo. Linabas ko ng buo sa column ko.

Mahalaga ang papel ng media sa ating buhay. Kaya ang karapatan ng media para gawin ang kanilang tungkulin nana ipa-alam sa taumbayan ang katotohanan ay ginagarantiya ng Constitution.

Kapag pinusasan mo ang media, parang pinusasan mo na rin ang taumbayan.

Published inMediaWeb Links

25 Comments

  1. kabute kabute

    Kung tutuusin, karamihan sa media nabili na ng mga mayayaman at makapangyarihan. Kahit na ang dating independenting Inquirer (noong panahon ni Pres. Marcos) ay co-opted na rin. Ang natitirang nakikipag-tusay sa mg katiwalian sa pamahalaang ito ay ang mga maliliit at di gaanong may kapital na mga media outlet at tao. Kahit nga ito ay na-co-opt na rin tulad ng Tribune. Kaya ang ginagawa ni monico puentebella at ni nene pimentel ay para tapusin na rin ang mga natitirang masugid at masigasig na media. Sa madaling sabi, kontrolado na ang lahat. Puro aleluya na ang maririnig o mababasa sa media.

    You are right, this is very alarming. There is nothing wrong with the libel laws now in existence. What is wrong is how the judges and lawyers interpret the law. No legislation will change a corrupted and contorted interpretation of the libel law. It is money and rewards at play. Judges and lawyers can be bought. Proof of this is the fiasco at the CA. How do we fight this assault on our freedom of expression? I don’t really know. But for sure more drastic and radical solutions would be more appropriate to deal with this assault. Like I said before, this administration is running down the government and the people.

  2. bitchevil bitchevil

    This current DFA Secretary Romulo is different from the elder Romulo during the time of Marcos. The younger Romulo has been eaten by the corrupt system. Sad to say, the media is as corrupt. How many journalists who used to be hard hitting are now propagandists of Malacanang? Today, the only credible paper left is Malaya and its affiliate, Abante and Abante Tonite. I’ve recently taken out The Daily Tribune off my list. I learned that the paper was being subsidized by politicians for its continuous existence. Erap used to subsidize it and then now transferred the hat to Villar. No wonder the paper is aggressively attacking Lacson and defending Villar.

  3. pranning pranning

    07 October 2008,

    Geezzz, if that’s the case, what/which newspapers should I, better yet, which newspaper should we read now??? I have heard of this rumor about the “ENVELOPEMENTAL JOURNALISM”. Its difficult to say who and who are not doing this.

    Most of the real/true articles printed in the newspapers nowadays can be found in the comics sections or ads section of the newpapers.

    prans

  4. men0k men0k

    Hi all,

    This maybe is off-topic.. But has anyone noticed, GMA and her DOGS are making blunders one after another.. Are they really dumb?.. I bet not, coz if they are dumb matagal nang wala sila sa puwesto..

    Try to look on the other side of the coin.. if they are not dumb and yet they keep on making “blunders” then the only logical thing to think of the reason they are doing these “blunders” is that, THEY ARE DOING THESE THINGS INTENTIONALLY! The MOA, the Mindanao “war”, the “i do not know the content of the MOA”, and now the Executive clemency given to Teehankee.. Are they not doing these “blunders” to create further chaos… and in a chaotic society/government, you’ve got an unlimited things that can happen to think of..

    just a thought?.. NOT!

  5. kabute kabute

    “Intentional blunders”, “Envelopmental journalism”, “Which media can we trust”, really a big big mess. I do not think the blunders are intentional. They are blunders because they are trying to right the wrongs with another wrong, hence a blunder. If gloria and her cabal are to do the right things, the very first correct thing to do is step down from the presidency! Payolas in journalism are not new. This was very obvious during the time of Pres. Marcos. Even DJs get payolas to play music recordings to increase ratings. This time under gloria its been perfected to-a-tee. What with malacanang doling out brown paper bags. Mabibilang mo sa iyong mga daliri ang mga natitirang tunay na media. Very little among the media is left to trust. “Kapag ginugutom ang media man bibigay iyan” – sabi ng kapwa media practitioner. Only those media people with integrity and strong character can withstand temptation to sellout. And there are very few left. On the brighter side, we have Ellen’s blog. Here we are still free to express our views. But this too may be short lived with the new libel laws being crafted.

  6. andres andres

    Sad to say that most of the mainstream media, like ABS-CBN,GMA7, Philippine Star and most specially Philippine Daily Inquirer are all responsible for the ascension of GMA the Evil Bitch to the throne. And as such, they have not been as “fearsome” or as “relentless” as they were when they were bashing Erap. If GMA has been appointing police and military generals to the juicy positions in the bureaucracy, she has likewise appointed a good number of known and popular media personalities to other juicy positions in the government. To name a few, Alex Magno (Maligno) who is a director of DBP which has a monthly salary of P200,000 excluding perks, Deo Macalma is a director of RPN-9, Bambi Harper, general manager of Luneta Park and Quirino Grandstand, Dante Ang, the invisible PR man has his hands dipped in many of the government corporations.

    The Philippine Daily Inquirer gives a way Inquirer Libre at MRT stations, of course, subsidized by the government!!!

    How can we expect the mainstream media to say the truth, when a lot of their more popular colleagues have been given juicy positions by the Evil Bitch? Tumatanaw lang naman ng utang na loob ang ating matatapang at tapat na mga journalists! Pweh!

    Lahat talaga ay nabili na ni Evil Bitch at FG sa bansang ito!!!

  7. andres andres

    manok,

    Hindi yun blunders, sa palagay ko, makapal na talaga ang mukha ng Evil Woman at mga kampon niya! They think they can get away with anything since they are in power!

    May karma din sila balang araw…

  8. Chabeli Chabeli

    Andres,

    The president of INQ is Sandy Prieto married to Philip Romualdez, brother of Martin Romualdez. The two Romualdez’s are sons of the Cocoy Romualdez (Imelda’s brother).

    I’ve been ify about INQ because of this connection.

  9. chi chi

    Ipalit na lang si Koko kay Nene. It’s obvious that Nene is already kinakalawang. No matter how good his intention was for crafting this libel bill, still this is a flawed one giving more pangs and media space to the corrupt politicians. These hinayupaks already control all sectors of the government and many of the members of the media/press. Why arm them more with this new libel bill while they can do practically anything they want with the existing libel law under their fake president?

    Sobra na, Nene, matulog na ka na lang! You already made an unforgivable mistake by forcing Gloria on us (tagahawak ka pa nga ng mikropono), just leave the 4th state alone!

    Puentebella, ang ganda ng apelyido ng ungas na ito, hindi bagay!

  10. chi chi

    Si Ninez, I’ve struck her name out of my fave journalists the very first time I noticed she’s trying very hard to sell Singit-taga Villar to her readers. No way! Kung pinatawad na ni Erap ang kanyang mga traydor na kaibigan, not me. It’s because we are the ones in the front line of poverty and our Pinas suffers the most due to their self-vested interests, while Erap is still very wealthy, back to being free and very happy as a leading politician. Walang pinag-iba para sa kanila, ganansya pa silang lahat. Tayo, patuloy na nakikibaka sa mga basic na pangangailangan para mabuhay kahit papaano.

  11. bitchevil bitchevil

    Chi, Ninez is desperate. Why can’t she be like Jake Macasaet who refused to plead guilty during the court arraignment? Why can’t she be like our very own Ellen who remains very consistent and credible despite all the harassments done to her?

  12. chi chi

    be,

    If Danding picks out Loren or Chiz, will Ninez abandon Villar? Any thoughts? We know that Ninez is Danding’s girl.

  13. andres andres

    Chabeli,

    Not only that Sandy Prieto is married to Philip Romualdez, the Romualdezes are now the ally of the Evil Bitch, their family which developed the Mile Long Property in Makati, are paying the government if I am not mistaken P1 per square meter a year, that is right, Piso kada taon bawat metro. This contract was done during Cory’s time, and the author is none other than Joker the Dragon Arroyo! Nakinabang na noong panahon ni Marcos, lalo pang nakinabang noong panahon ni Cory, at lalong tiba-tiba ngayong panahon ni Gloria ang Phiippine Daily Inquirer!!!

    Sa Inquirer Libre na lang, ang laki na ng utang na loob nila kay Evil Bitch kaya imposibleng tirahin nila ito. Minsan nga pag nakikita ko ang headline ng Inquirer akala ko Manila Bulletin eh! At isa pa, siyempre bayad utang na si GMA dahil todo upak ang Inquirer hangga’t bumagsak si Erap diba?

    It’s all about business. Ang mga Prieto ay mga negosyante din!

  14. bitchevil bitchevil

    Chi, Legarda-Escudero team is very strong if supported by Danding. I’m sure Erap will also give his blessing if worse comes to worst that the opposition is not united. Erap and Danding have always been in good terms. Will Ninez drop Villar? Yes. Ninez and her paper need more than money to subsidize. She needs protection. However, I think Ninez is closer to Erap than Danding.

  15. chi chi

    Tnx, be. I’m not a bit interested in Loren-Chiz team. “More of the same”, hahaha!

  16. bitchevil bitchevil

    During QC Mayor Sonny Belmonte’s birthday party, he, Villar, Erap and Noli de Castro were there. What did they talk about?
    Is something cooking that we don’t know?

  17. dandaw dandaw

    Talking about Puentibella, he can not do anything decent, he is a picture of a rotten, rotten politician. He used to be the tuta of Bobby Benedicto. Puentibella does not know shit-from-shinola. His only ability is to lie, steal, all the qualities of a rotten flesh. He is the biggest star fruit of Negros. (Balingbing). Now he is on the side of Pandak. I’m not surprise.

  18. bitchevil bitchevil

    How true is it that Senator Kiko Pangilinan and wife Sharon Cuneta have finally parted ways? The Senator reportedly has another child with his mistress currently staying in the province. Sharon could no longer keep this matter this long…

  19. I think Print Media will just fade away.

    In its place will be a more powerful, censorproof, web-based journals, blogs, etc.

    Dr. Nikola Tesla once said, “The present is theirs; the future for which i really work is mine.” It seems that his concept of a World System (wireless data & power) is now becoming a reality.

    The only thing missing is the implementation of a worldwide energy broadcast which has been suppressed for more than 100 years.

  20. martina martina

    Lito Banayo’s column a couple of days ago was about the Villar bank (where Mrs Villar was the CEO) being able to obtain a Billion peso loan from BSP. The loan was settled by dacion en pago with a twist. The title of the properties were fake and the value far less than the billion loan. I hope Ninez have read it.

  21. bitchevil bitchevil

    Ninez would say everything bad about Villar is untrue. She would say it’s black propaganda and demolition job.

  22. andres andres

    Isn’t it ironic that most of the ‘presidentiables’, Noli De Castro, Manny Villar, and Loren Legarda were all part of Edsa Dos which all aimed at removing and jailing President Erap. Noli, was GMA’s loyal ally, Manny Villar was the one who banged the gavel, Loren was the one who made the dramatic crying during the impeachment.

    Mar Roxas was part of the Erap cabinet , but he abandoned Erap during the last few days and eventually became part of GMA’s cabinet. Ping Lacson has been Erap’s loyal chief of police but also eventually abandoned him and then likewise did not listen to his advise of joining forces with FPJ during 2004.

    Now these are the same people asking for the endorsement of Erap in the coming 2010 presidential elections. After having been part of a conspiracy to remove Erap from the Presidency, now they are after his blessing?

    Ang kakapal din ng mga mukha nila no? Matapos na patalsikin ang Pangulo ng pinagtulungan nila, ngayon, nag-uunahan silang makuha ang basbas ni Erap! Di ko na alam kung nasaan ang prinsipyo ng mga ito! Nilolon na ba nila ang kanilang prinsipyo kuno? O inaamin nilang isang pagkakamali ang pagpatalsik kay Erap at pinalitan ng ubod ng swapang ng pamilya ni Gloria Arroyo???

    Kung ako si Erap, wala akong pipiliin sa sinumang nagtraydor sa kaniya! Ang kakapal din ng mga apog!

  23. bitchevil bitchevil

    Andres, you already posted your above comment on another thread. My response is there.

  24. Valdemar Valdemar

    There oughta be a law to give some relief to the news people, they should get free service from the PAO on anything in line with their news reporting.

  25. There must be more laws against the Crooks rather than otherwise.

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