PRESS STATEMENT
Ref: PAUL M. GUTIERREZ//April 16, 2019
NPC Vice President & Chair, Press Freedom Committee
CPJ REPORT ON PH MEDIA SITUATION SLANTED, INACCURATE
I WAS among those surprised to learn about the slanted (biased) and inaccurate report on the state of the media in the Philippines released today by the delegation from the ‘Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) headed by its chair, Kathleen Carrol.
Although I arrived late for yesterday’s meeting (April 15, 2019) at the office of Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) executive director, Joel Sy Egco (having come from another meeting in Manila), I was able to join them for lunch, which took us about 30 minutes to finish.
On my arrival at the office, the task force staff and even Usec. Egco said that I just missed bumping into PAPI president, Nelson Santos, “sayang,” Usec. Egco and the staff even told me.
I was properly introduced by Usec. Egco and I took— and finished— my lunch besides Ms. Carrol. Seated across me was Mr. Steven Butler, CPJ Asia Program director and besides Ms. Carrol, on her left, was Mr. Peter Greste from the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom (AFJ), who also said he came to the meeting directly from the NAIA after boarding the plane from Australia where the AFJ was based.
Seated directly across Usec. Egco was Ms. Weng Paraan of NUJP who, I later learned, accompanied the group to the PTFoMS.
Let me reveal that in the whole 30 minutes that we took our lunch, this group NEVER asked me a single question about the state of the Philippine media, insofar as the NPC is concerned; they resorted to discussing the weather and the traffic instead.
We all linger around the PTFoMS office after lunch for about 15 more minutes and even had our photos together. But again, in these remaining minutes before we bid goodbye to each other (on a happy mood too) NOT ONE of them asked me about the NPC’s position as regards the state of the media in the Philippines.
By the way, I also noticed a vehicle from ABS/CBN parked a few meters from the PTFoMS office but I thought that since the media parking near the PCOO/MPC office is quite crowded, the crew probably decided to park the vehicle near the office of Usec. Egco.
Now that Usec. Egco has bared that it was the “service vehicle” used by the CPJ delegation in going to his office, one wonders why? Wala bang badyet para sa sasakyan ang CPJ given that it is headquartered in New York, USA?
If only to give the appearance of their being “fair,” “objective” and “professional?” In our language, we call this “delicadeza.”
In their statement today the CPJ averred they met with a “wide range of journalists” to include government officials. That may be so but certainly, they did not include the NPC.
Is it because we never received any regular “donation” or “subsidy” from them compared to other Philippine media organisations?
Or is it because hearing us out would mean “revising” or “rethinking” their preformed conclusion— that the Philippine media is being repressed—even before they landed here?
I have always high regards for organisations like the CPJ. But to read such slanted and inaccurate “report” makes one wonders what kind of “journalism standard” they are using?
While Third World journalists like us cannot possibly compare in professionalism, experience and stature to these parachute journalists from abroad, let me end by quoting, for their information and consideration, portions of Article 1 and Article 5 of the Philippine Journalist’s Code of Ethics—
“I shall scrupulously report and interpret the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts nor to distort the truth by omission or improper emphasis…”
Article 5– “I shall not let personal motives or interest influence me in the performance of my duties…” ###