CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Citizens-Press Council is against any legislative measure that regulates the rules that govern the conduct of journalists and the move to prosecute three broadcasters and three networks that aired live the August 23 hostage taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand.
In a resolution to be passed during the council's en banc meeting tomorrow, the CCPC has requested President Noynoy Aquino to leave the duty to their respective press organizations under the mechanism of the industry and their own audience or the public in determining the liability, if any, of ABS-CBN, GMA-7, ABC TV-5, broadcasters Erwin Tulfo and Mike Rogas of Radio Mindanao Network (dzXL) including its station manager Jake Maderazo.
They also asked the Congress and the Senate to allow the media to regulate itself under the mechanism of the industry and that of their respective news organizations.
"If that fails, have grievances against media settled under the existing criminal and civil laws, which suffice without any additional legislation," the resolution read.
The council fears that the twin threat of Congress legislating rules of conduct in emergency situations "raises the specter of prior restraint and impingement of press freedom, with the new law, aside from being unconstitutional, is open to abuse by overzealous law enforcers and vengeful political leaders."
While the three networks admit there were lapses on their part and were quick to revisit their own procedures and standards that made them come up with a strengthened protocol in critical cases, the entire media organization believes that existing laws on national security and obstruction of justice and the guidelines adopted by media and the police is as much as necessary.
"In a vigorous democracy, what works best in government-media relations is self-regulation…Apparatuses in self-regulation are in place in each media outlet and in most press organizations, and journalists concede the right of government to ban or delay broadcasting or publishing of news when public safety or the nation's security requires it," CCPC said.
CCPC blamed the absence of the crisis managers whose job supposedly is to make the call whether to air live shots or not as what is on the guidelines that media follows when covering emergency situations.
There is no substantial explanation yet on why the three broadcasters and TV networks should be charged pending the order of the president to study thoroughly the recommendations before his administration decides on the matter.
"Media practitioners fear that lumping the three networks and broadcasters with eight public officials as the culprits in the hostage fiasco shows intent of the government to make the press a scapegoat in the bungled handling of the crisis," the CCPC said.
The resolution is to be further discussed by the council tomorrow but is expected to be passed given the urgency of the matter as it raises a supreme concern to the press.
The Cebu media is the first to take such action timely with the observance of the 16th Cebu Press Freedom Week, an annual tribute to the bedrock of democracy which is free speech and assembly. /BRP (FREEMAN)