November 29, 2007 · Posted in: In the News, Media
Two new ‘chilling’ modes of gov’t response to threats
TWO new things in the efforts to end the crisis in Makati City today point to a more intense government response against those who seek to overthrow it.
The sight of two tanks ramming down the main entrance of the posh Manila Peninsula hotel takes government response to threats to a new level. While tanks roamed the business district during the December 1989 coup and the 2003 Oakwood mutiny, they mostly served as part of government’s psychological warfare against rebel soldiers. One such tank was parked on the driveway of the Pacific Star building along Buendia Avenue, but rarely moved from there.
“The business and commercial district of Makati is the business and commercial district of the Philippines. It will reverberate internationally,” warned Lito Anzures, spokesman of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay.
“If it weren’t for (the) media, they (Magdalo soldiers) would have been finished off,” says a Makati-based executive.
The country is also seeing, for the first time, some 40 journalists being “invited” to a police camp after covering a government crisis. Among those who were “invited” to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig for “processing” either as “witnesses or suspects” were GMA 7 reporter Sandra Aguinaldo, ABS-CBN news anchors Ces Drilon and Pinky Webb, Malaya columnist Ellen Tordesillas, and some radio reporters and technical crew. Police also confiscated some video footages of the siege. Some of the male reporters and media crew, in handcuffs, were later seen being made to board a bus.
Police spokesperson Senior Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, who in May 2006 led lawmen in taking over the Daily Tribune, said the police has to “process” the media men because it is an SOP (standard operating procedure) when “a crime has been committed.” He added that some of the rebel soldiers may have disguised themselves as journalists in an effort to evade lawmen.
It is not clear how lawmen could confuse Drilon, Webb and Aguinaldo with rebel soldiers, as the three are seen almost daily in primetime newscasts. It is also questionable if the “invitations” are part of an SOP, since in coup d’etats even from the time of former president Corazon Aquino, no journalists were taken to police stations for “processing.”
“We in ABS-CBN News strongly condemn the illegal arrests of our reporters and our colleagues in the media and decry the atrocious treatment we are being subjected to in the hands of the police. Our reporters were in the Manila Peninsula purely to fulfill their duties as journalists,” said Maria Ressa, head of ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs in a statement. She added that this move is a “grave and serious threat to press freedom and the public’s right to the truth.”
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) also immediately issued a statement decrying the PNP’s treatment of journalists as “enemies of the state.”
The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility said the arrest of media people is not only an assault on Constitutionally-protected press freedom, but also on democracy itself. The CMFR said the move is “a telling indication of the authoritarian depths into which the Arroyo regime has fallen in its obsession with political dominance.”
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro admits the move may seem “unsightly,” but he says it is necessary so lawmen can properly identify those who took part in the mutiny.
University of the Philippines media law expert Marichu Lambino condemned the arrest, saying the journalists were treated like criminals. She said that even during martial law, mediamen were not arrested without charges.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel lashed out at Malacañang for its treatment of journalists, which he says is worse than the conditions faced by media covering war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine. “It’s a calculated move to intimidate media to toe the government line,” he said.
“A line has indeed been crossed in the name of national security,” said Al Alegre, executive director of the Foundation for Media Alternatives, referring to the arbitrary arrest and detention as setting a dangerous precedent in the handling of those who deliver vital information to all in times of political conflict.
That line, he said, has protected the media since 1987 as an essential pillar of a free and democratic society. “Such an act by the State brings us disturbingly close to the abyss of martial rule, which we all fought to turn back 21 years ago.”
Alegre called on the media and the public not to allow such “brazen attack” on the autonomy and freedom of the press, reminding them that the Arroyo government has been taken to task several times on issues that impinge on communication rights? as the Human Security Act, Executive Order 464, and the extrajudicial killings of hundreds of journalists and activists.
11 Responses to Two new ‘chilling’ modes of gov’t response to threats
paeng
November 29th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Hmmmm…
Suddenly, I think the Trillanes move is more calculated than what we think.
jlagman17
November 29th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
“It’s martial law!” our maintenance personnel told me earlier as i was watching the latest news on T.V. I’m sure he was only joking but then he added “there is a curfew!”. “Sure. I should be going home lest I wanna get caught,” I said. Still serious he described how he “crawl his way home” during the martial law. “Is that so?” I thought. Hmmm? There must be something fishy! Is this martial law-in-the-making?
After the Glorietta bombing, a senator warned about declaring martial law. That was pretty much premature I guess. “How can I wake up when all of a sudden it’s martial law?” I asked myself. Everything will definitely change.
Then there was Batasan blast. Several people from all political views were hurt. A man who strongly condemned military presence in his province was killed. In his privilege speech, he courageously told everyone “How his province could be developed and it’s people be productive if the meaty military expenses have been used to do so. His political enemies surely did not like it. Make sense, isn’t it? Never mind, probing it could be deadlier.
I remember what a prelate once told us where he’s getting all the courage for criticizing the government. “I am dispensable. Unlike you people, you have lots of things to lose, including your love ones,” he explained.
During their press conference this afternoon, the soldiers call for change. “Naniniwala ka ba sa pagbabago?” somebody asked me. Up to this moment, I still don’t know what to answer. Isn’t it Ironic? During the EDSA 2, that was what people has been calling. Look at us now. Are we there yet? Sometimes I ask if it’s worthy being part of that moment in history.
I like adventure but no way to a bloody “change”. In the end the question will not be “Who will benefit from it?” It is “Who will suffer?” Children, innocent civilians and so on and so forth. That “change” may not even benefit the poor. Poverty after all is not because we lack God-given resources. It’s caused by greed. Wanting even more after getting what we wanted. It defines the difference between happiness and misery. No wonder why poor countries ranked higher than the rich countries in terms of “happiness” or shall i say “contentment”.
Laughter may be the best medicine while misery compliments suicidal tendency. That is sad reality.
moses maimon
November 30th, 2007 at 6:32 am
If it is the SOP, wouldn’t it be unfair if only the obscure journalists were arrested but not Aguinaldo, Webb?
goimon
November 30th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
the journalist got what they deserved… they got in the way of the bounty of the army and the cops… if i were the commander on the ground in manila pen, i would have asked my troops to shoot at trillanes… if civilians get hit, that collateral damage…
the journalist are getting whiny about their arrest but any 2nd year law student would know that what the cops did was not only prudent but necessary.. the “do you know who i am” arguement made by these journalists should never be condoned.. what made them so special
the cops were given a very good opportunity to put journalists in their place, but since they are also ignorant they didnt. when the journalists said ” we were only doing our jobs” the cops shoyuld have said, “so are we”
the attack of the army and the cops was not overkill.. it was a show of power.. it would be very difficult to have an army who looks weak and pathetic that several insignificant people could hold them at bay.
to the journalist: you are not special.. live with it
to the army and to the cops: “SPARTANS, WHAT’S YOUR PROFESSION?!!!!!!!!!”
j.santos0001
November 30th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
PEOPLE IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP! To the 11 million people who voted for the circus act called Trillanes, I hope this is your wake up call. Stop being the victims of egomaniacal and manipulative morons. Trillanes and gang have legitimate concerns, but th tactics and methods employed were ill-conceived. Equally culpable in this farcical event is Mayor Binay – who was nowhere to be found as the circus act strolled over to the Manila Peninsula.
Where was the Makati police and the authorities? How could they have allowed these people to wander down a busy avenue, in broad daylight, with guns up high. A group led by a rebel soldier who, despite legitimate claims, chose to break his oath, disregard the chain of command and break the rule of law TWICE already. What they did at the Peninsula was pure and simply a “breaking-and-entering” violation, not to mention a “jail break” and an absolute disregard for the rule of law.
Hyprocrites! That’s what they are called. They accuse the administration of not respecting the law and here they are doing it even more blatantly, and inviting a story starved media. Trillanes and gang not only put themselves at risk, they put at risk the lives of civilians and journalists. They knew exactly what they were doing and they played the media. They knew without the media shield they would have the worst end of th stick. He describes his action as for the people. He called on the people to propagate his personal agenda and he selfishly put civilians and the media itself in harms way without having to think twice about.
Grow up! Actions such as this will only perpetuate the vicous cycle our society now finds itself in. This is a vortex suckig us in and we will never get out of it unless we, as individual private citizens, are able to think for ourselves and look towards the long-term and not just short-term and personal implications of our actions.
The administration is not the best, but have we got any other alternatives? Even the Trillanes and the others in the opposition see to have difficulties in identifying the alternatives.
As for ANC: grow up and stop whining! Your team was given ample notice to leave the hotel and they refused. Those at the Pen saw them being unruly and uncooperative asgovt troops tried to secure the area to secure the safety of others AND that of your team. This is not about YOU! Stop hiding your press passes for shit that you put upon yourself. Stop your partisan coverage and give us REAL journalism. Stop steering and manipulating the public for your group’s own agenda.
Bob Malit
December 1st, 2007 at 10:17 am
Once again Filipinos shot themselves while the whole world watch – asking what in the world an elected Senator, elderly bishop,soldiers are doing to create problems INSTEAD of helping to rebuild their country?
jcc
December 1st, 2007 at 10:59 am
SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
TRILLANES IS A MODERN-DAY GREGORIO HONASAN. AMBITIOUS, ADVENTUROUS AND PLAIN OPPORTUNIST. BOTH ARE BICOLANOS. HONASAN TRIED TO POWER GRAB THE REINS OF GOVERNMENT FROM MARCOS WHEN THE MARCOS SHIP WAS FAST SINKING AND FROM CORY BECAUSE HE WAS SIDELINED BY CORY AND LOST HIS LIFESTYLE DURING MARCOS.
TRILLANES SAW THE HONASAN MODEL AND HAD TRIED TO DUPLICATE THE FORMER’S FATE. HE WAS ELECTED SENATOR BECAUSE HE MADE THE SAME MILITARY ADVENTURE HONASAN DID BY COMMANDERING OAKWOOD HOTEL LAST YEAR AS HIS COMMAND POST.
NOW HE RELOCATED HIS COMMAND POST, WITH ONE GENERAL LIM IN TOW AT MANILA PEN, ACTING AS IF THEY OWN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND CAN THROW OUT LEGIT OCCUPANTS SO THEY CAN HAVE UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THE HOTEL.
THE GULLIBLE ELECTORATE FELL FOR THE FIRST SHALLOW BUT CALCULATED MISADVENTURE OF TRILLANES AND ELECTED HIM SENATOR. EXPECT GENERAL LIM TO RUN FOR SENATOR IN THE NEXT ELECTION.
THIS IS OUR TRAGEDY AS A NATION. WE CANNOT DISTINGUISH THE VILLAINS FROM THE REAL HEROES.
THE VOCIFEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE MEDIA UNDER THE GUISE OF REPORTING THE EVENTS HAD ACTUALLY HAMPERED AND OBSTRUCTED PURE POLICE OPERATIONS BY NOT LEAVING THE PREMISES WHEN ASKED TO DO SO, SO THE MISGUIDED MILITARY PERSONNEL UNDER TRILLANES COULD BE ROUNDED UP AND PUT BEHIND BARS.
ALAS, EVEN A SICKLY BISHOP HAD TRIED TO MAKE A SCENCE BY SYMPATHIZING WITH THESE “REBELS” ONLY TO BE BAILED OUT BY ANOTHER BISHOP AFTER HE TOO WAS ARRESTED.
EVEN THE RESPECTABLE TEOPISTO GUINGONA HAD TRIED TO STEAL THE SCENCE BY GOING TO MANILA PEN AND BLABBERED THE CALL FOR GLORIA TO RESIGN.
WHOM ARE THEY KIDDING? SOMEONE INTERESTED IN REFORMING OUR SOCIETY MUST HAVE A BLUEPRINT ON HOW TO DO IT. THE ACTORS IN THIS LATEST ADVENTURES ARE POLITICAL MIDGETS, (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GUINGONA) AND HAVE NO MORAL ASCENDANCY OVER THE PRESENT LEADERSHIP. WHILE I AGREE WITH ANYONE THAT EVERYTHING IS NOT ROSY AND WELL WITH THE NATION AND ITS PRESENT LEADERSHIP, I DO NOT SEE ANY ALTERNATIVE FOR ITS EARLY DEMISE.
ATLEAST IN MY BOOK, I HAVE OFFERED A BLUEPRINT. “GO TO OUR CHILDREN AND INCULCATE IN THEM THE VIRTUE OF HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND THE CONCEPT THAT PUBLIC OFFICE AS A PUBLIC TRUST” BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AS A NATION. (PLEASE READ MY BOOK, “TERMITES FROM WITHIN”).
INCIDENTALLY, I AM A BICOLANO TOO, BUT A PROUD BICOLANO.
JCC
goimon
December 1st, 2007 at 5:10 pm
we filipinos are morons… we have senators like that and a president like that just the same… we are morons.. we have to accpet that… a beautiful country like the philippines will never be given to intelligent people… thats too unfair
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December 4th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
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