Rejoinder to Magno's columns

MANILA, Philippines - I write regarding some issues raised by Mr. Alex Magno in two of his columns, published in your paper on September 4 and August 31, 2010.

In the September 4 column, “Protocols,” Mr. Magno asserts that some sort of ‘command post’ was set up by President Aquino at Emerald Restaurant. This assertion is simply not true. The only reason the President went to Emerald was because the President was looking for Mayor Alfredo Lim, and he had been informed that Lim and his team were there.

In his August 31 column, “Discourteous”, Mr. Magno goes at length to discuss the phone call Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang placed to President Aquino during the hostage situation. This matter has been exhaustively explained in various media outlets in the simplest possible terms, and even narrated in your paper. Despite this repeated explanation, Mr. Magno wrongly asserted that Secretary Carandang took the call from the office of the Chief Executive.

In a span of eight days, Mr. Magno made two fictitious claims. It is difficult to believe, given his loyalty to the previous dispensation, that these false assertions were written by Mr. Magno in good faith.

As Secretary Carandang always says: people are entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. I trust that Mr. Magno holds this maxim in as high a regard as his colleagues do.

Nonetheless, we are grateful to Mr. Magno for engaging the government and the people through his columns. An informed populace is the lifeblood of a maturing democracy such as ours, and attempts to raise the level of public discourse will always be welcomed by this government. Mr. Magno has been in his business for a very long time, and we trust that despite any agenda he might wish to serve, he will exercise his profession with the utmost prudence, integrity, and respect for the truth.

Thank you for providing an avenue for genuine discourse.