'Media not being used as scapegoat'

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma assured journalists that the administration is not making the media the scapegoat in the mishandling of the hostage crisis last Monday.

Coloma clarified that the government is only saying that the coverage of the hostage-taking incident should not have been turned into a circus.

Malacañang is leaving the fate of two broadcasters to the inter-agency body that would investigate Monday’s hostage tragedy amid questions on whether they should be charged for interviewing the suspect, former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, while negotiations were going on.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it was looking at the possible liability of dzXL broadcasters Erwin Tulfo and Michael Rogas for allegedly bungling the negotiations with Mendoza. Tulfo is also a television host of TV-5.

Manila police chief Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay went on leave while five other police officers were relieved because of their hesitation and lapses during the assault on the tourist bus where dismissed policeman Mendoza held the Hong Kong tourists hostage.

Mendoza, who was dismissed from the police force last year for extortion, commandeered last Monday a Hong Thai Travel tourist bus in Intramuros and held hostage 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipino guides for several hours in front of the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park in Manila.

Mendoza, armed with an M-16 rifle and a pistol, had released several hostages before the SWAT team assaulted the bus, resulting in his death and that of eight tourists.

Police hostage negotiators said Mendoza turned violent due to frustrations after failing to get his demand to be reinstated to the police force.

“Let us allow the fact-finding (inquiry) about it to be completed first. Maybe it’s not yet time to utter any judgment or decision and it will also not be fair to the (mediamen) being referred to because the investigation is not yet through,” Coloma said.

Coloma said President Aquino himself stressed that he did not want any prior restraint but that the media should have their own guidelines and mechanisms on how to cover hostage crises without endangering the lives of the victims and preempting police operations.

“It was seen and it was unacceptable that the (coverage) became a media circus. There was no proper demarcation between the bus under siege and the people,” Coloma said.

But members of the opposition and other critics said it was Coloma and Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang who dealt with the media coverage of the incident.

Some sectors are asking Coloma, Carandang and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to resign because of the alleged bungling in the handling of the hostage crisis.

But Coloma said he would not resign and that the media should exercise self-discipline.

“There are many things that we should pay attention to and a big part of this is the responsibility of mass media professionals and mass media practitioners to ensure that this kind of incident and unacceptable developments will not happen again,” Coloma said.

Coloma said they were waiting for the media networks to conduct a dialogue and adopt guidelines on media coverage.

Carandang said he would talk to those from television, radio and other media entities separately so the government would be able to work with them more effectively during crisis situations.

“That is why we can see the realities. There was the excitement, and the radio and TV stations really wanted to be near the scene of the action. The others dared to interview Mendoza and many are saying that this caused him to blow his top, which caused dangers rather than improvement (of the situation),” Coloma said.