The Media vs The Government

Perhaps one of the more shocking events during the “Makati stand-off”, is the arrest of countless journalists, including the attempted arrests of popular TV news reporters Pinky Webb, Ces Drilon, and Sandra Aguinaldo. While I buy the argument that it was the police’s responsibility to clear the area and take everyone for “processing,” I don’t think that they did it properly and legally. Rather, (coupled with the declaration of a curfew) it seemed like Martial Law all over again.

Countless media members were cuffed and taken into police custody after the “stand off,” their IDs and equipment were allegedly seized. Now, the media networks are threatening to sue the police. And how does the police respond? With a threat of a countersuit for “obstruction of justice.”

While the media was in an overkill frenzy during the stand-off, the police has no right to harrass and treat them harshly as if suspects caught in the act of committing a crime. They were treated worse then Antonio Trillanes and his band of moronic “mutineers.”

Yes, the police MAY have had the right to arrest everyone in sight. But they certainly did not have and do not have to treat anybody, not even criminals, that harshly.

4 Responses to “The Media vs The Government”

1. Marvin says:

   December 1, 2007 at 5:42 pm

   I’m just wondering about the following questions:
   1. Why did the government work with the media to institute a news blackout? If there are hostage situations or takeover situations in the freest nations of the world – a news blackout is often a standard operating procedure.
   2. Why didn’t the media evacuate when they were given the choice by the government? Did they misjudged the government’s resolve? Were they too driven to get the story and beat the other media stations? Even when the tear gas started, media folks don’t want to leave.
   3. Why would the media complain if they were arrested – again when clearing up operations are done in Europe and the U.S. – every one gets arrested and then the mess sorted out later?

   These are not questions from an anti-media, pro-government, pro-martial law, fascist blogger. These questions were raised by South Africans, British, Americans and Asian colleagues who attended a meeting I partly organized in Cape Town last week.

   Is the media in the Philippines too free and self-centered to fulfill their role as the Fourth Estate?
2. Marvin says:

   December 1, 2007 at 5:44 pm

   I actually meant…

   1. Why DIDN’T the government work with the media to institute a news blackout?
3. Boni says:

   December 2, 2007 at 1:40 am

   — > Expel Tonyo Trillanes From The Senate Online Petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/xpel2nyo/petition.html
4. Boni says:

   December 2, 2007 at 6:44 am

   i wonder if there will be PRESS FREEDOM in a military junta envisoned by the rebels