THE National Press Club of the Philippines, the country’s biggest organization of active media practitioners, is looking forward to “better days” under the leadership of president-elect, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, as it called on all sectors of society to unite behind him.
“With his victory in the just concluded presidential election already a foregone conclusion and which is now merely a matter of formality by way of his inauguration several weeks from now, we join President Rody in his call for national unity,” said NPC president Paul Gutierrez of People’s Tonight.
“Criticism being thrown against President Rody this early by some quarters is unnecessary and undeserved. We urge our colleagues in the profession and the public to give him the so-called ‘100 days honeymoon period’ that have been accorded to all past presidents as a matter of courtesy,” Gutierrez added.
Nevertheless, Gutierrez said media is hopeful that Duterte would also prioritize the resolution of media killings and other cases of media suppression as well as in strengthening the role of the media in national unity and rebuilding that were all simply ignored and neglected by the Aquino administration.
“Along this line, we call on President Rody to strongly reconsider his reported plan to appoint Atty. Salvador Panelo as press secretary.
“While we have nothing personal against Atty. Panelo, the fact of the matter is that he is a lawyer of the Ampatuan clan, the principal suspects in the 2009 massacre in Maguindanao where 34 of our media colleagues were among the victims.
“Among the injustices that the media is calling for Pres. Rody to address is the Ampatuan massacre that was only given lip service by the Aquino administration.
“Definitely, members of the press would find it hard to interact, and work with, a press secretary whose main client are the suspects in the wholesale murder of the members of the press that has outraged the entire world,” Gutierrez said.
Media may tiwala kay ‘President Rody’
NAGPAHAYAG ng tiwala ang National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) ng mga makabuluhang pagbabago para sa bansa at sa interes ng media sa pagpasok ng administrasyon ni Davao City mayor, Rodrigo ‘President Rody’ Duterte, kasabay ng panawagan sa lahat na tumugon sa panawagan nito na “pambansang pagkakaisa.”
“Ang mga batikos na ibinabato ngayon pa lang kay President Rody ay hindi nakatutulong at wala sa lugar; nananawagan ang NPC sa lahat na bigyan ng sapat na panahon ang ating bagong pangulo; bigyan natin siya ng ‘100 days honeymoon period’ na siyang nararapat sa lahat ng pangulo,” ani NPC president Paul Gutierrez ng People’s Tonight.
“Sa panig naman ng media, naniniwala rin kami na ang mga kaso ng pamamaslang sa hanay ng media at iba pang pang-aabuso sa kanilang karapatan ay mabibigyan na ngayon ng pansin na hindi nangyari sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino,” dagdag pa ni Gutierrez.
Kaugnay nito, pinayuhan din ng NPC si Duterte sa planong pagtatalaga kay Atty. Salvador Panelo bilang ‘press secretary.’
“Walang personalan pero, dapat mabatid ni Pres. Rody na si Atty. Panelo ay abugado ng mga Ampatuan na mga suspect sa 2009 Ampatuan Massacre sa Maguindanao kung saan 34 na mamamahayag ang napaslang.
“Magiging napakahirap para sa media na makisalamuha sa isang press secretary na abugado ng mga suspect sa pamamaslang sa pinakaraming bilang ng media sa kasaysayan,” pahayag pa ni Gutierrez.