ell of course it is, just as the Tribune editorial claims. But I guess I have to support ABSCBN's decision to go ahead and air a video of Gen Danilo Lim withdrawing support for the Arroyo administration last February. He said some nice things anyway. What were they gonna do? Sit on it? That would be inconceivable from a purely journalistic standpoint. However, I do have some criticisms of the ABSCBN coverage so far (I don't pay much attention to the Star, which has beome more of a classified ads newspaper):(1) From the very beginning ABSCBN's headline and sound bite was that they had uncovered evidence of the "coup plot" involving Danilo Lim that the govt has been accusing him of. Yet they refuse to give details about the provenance of the tape for obvious ethical reasons. This is their right, but it also means that the public must accept their conclusion or interpretation of the ultimate meaning of this video material on faith.
(2) Strictly speaking we do not know when it was made, by whom, why it was made, for whom, and if it had actually been seen by anyone else than those who made it. The last is important because NOW it has been seen by millions, and an interpretation of its meaning has been drummed in by Bandila, by the Star, and by continuous ABSCBN coverage for three days. It might even be said that an illegal, perhaps libelous use of unverified electronic material has been aired against the reputation of an active military officer who has not been charged with any crime thus far and whose reputation has thereby been impugned. (I'm not practicing to be a lawyer but I think this is part of the public debate Maria Ressa and Charrie Villa and Marichu Villanueva say they want to start.
(3) ABSCBN News did make it seem that getting this video was the result of perspicacious investigative reporting on their part and the careful cultivation of "trusted sources" -- but if truth be told it was dropped off at Madre Ignacia Avenue wasn't it, on the way to Max Soliven's new pad?
(4) There is no doubt that the Palace will be toasting champagne and warming up lots of brandy tonight over this magnificent usage of the Mass Media. All in the name of the Public's right to know, of course. So though they deny it, both ABSCBN and the Philippine Star did become players and create the news that even bloggers are paying attention to!
11 comments:
Newsbreak has an interesting account that may answer the wh-made-the-tape-and-why questions. They also have an answer to the question of whether or not Senga was in on it and backed out.
http://www.newsbreak.com.ph/newsbreak/story.asp?ID=436
Seems they had the tape since Feb. but did not want to be accused of being a player in the public eye. They also claimed the existence of more copies of the tape. What I can't figure is why the other networks were not able to get hold of these copies and if they did, why didn't they air it?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Dean,
Here I am again; can't get this coup d'état drivel by media off my mind.
I don't know if ABS CBN is being used but I sure know that Media throw coup d'état around so easily but they don't seem to really understand the mechanics behind a coup d'état whether attempted, quashed, foiled, launched, etc.
To me, the real reason why the AFP aren't throwing the book and the kitchen sink at Lim and friends at this point is simply because it's bound to stir a hornets nest: Angie Reyes' mutiny that helped Gloria in her bloodless coup d'état.
Anyway, the tape is not an evidence that there was a coup d'état attempt - there was no movement of rebel troops and capture of strategic posts to launch a coup d'état. At this point, we can admit (that is if the tape is NOT FAKE), that the tape is an evidence of a conspiracy to commit MUTINY but evidence of a coup d'état attempt is way off the mark. (I'm going for the semantics here but that's what any professional military court martial panel would say! I just spoke to some senior ranking militar officers at NATO and gave them a brief lowdown - the opinion was unanimous: NOT AN EVIDENCE OF A COUP D'ETAT attempt)
As I've always said, coup d'état attempt by Lim would mean that the act of overthrowing the government had been launched with a rebel troops in movement. (If he did make that stupid tape, Lim deserves to be in the gallows for being so idiotic enough to be caught red handed! What a waste of talent...)
Anyway, at worst, the evidence may point to a consipiracy to MOUNT a coup d'état but I repeat it is not an evidence of an attempted coup d'état, least of all a foiled coup d'état.
I can challenge any military member in Gloria's entourage on that score...
Frrankly, my sentiment is that this is all a Malacanang sideshow to take away the heat from her upcoming impeachment as well as to varnish her SONA with garlic smelling drivel!
It's still part of ABS' moves to get back at Malacañang, now that rival GMA 7 has almost bowed down to the Palace.
HB, Spot onto my own frustration over the terminology. Heck "coup d'etat" was virtually the first word I heard on Bandila, with "proof of" preceding it.
But I hope everybody does sense a kind of shoe is on the other foot feeling now with respect to TAPED ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE. Now what were we saying about eternal principles and moral consistency?
Many will find themselves strangely taking up the administration's own defenses over the Garci recordings.
However, Maria Ressa and the other folks over there are no patsies (though I can't be sure about their bosses!). So yeah Jhay, ABSCBN maybe trying to smoke the bear out of her cave!
Is the palace using ABS-CBN or is it the other way around? I think they are using each other. So with GMA-7.
After the Fort Bonifacio stand-off, the marines and the afp knows who’s who among them and are all are watching their backs and their flanks. More so, with these video on Lim out in the open. So what happens now? From their ranks, I don’t think anything will. I believe that they are outflanked by the little lady in the palace and they are afraid that they have a lot to lose. The military may not be outfought, but they definitely are OUT-THOUGHT.
The groups lining up at Batasang Pambansa for Gloria’s impeachment seemingly comes from every sector of Philippine Society. But Gloria is “kapit-tuko” and seems to be telling them: “Pahinog kayong lahat!” And in a sense she is right because when the time is ripe SHE WILL GET OUT. But I hope not FEET OUT FIRST. If ever.
Someone out there is the maestro,of this concierto.
Definitely, media has been the propaganda machine of everyone,eversince.
MB,
Maybe there's a tape of Senga too, but we will never see THAT one from his collection!
First of all... it was a news story and a scoop- first one to get the tape and put it on air - poof- gets the ratings. if GMA, ABC 5 , Net 25, UNTV or the government stations had piucked it up di sila nauna...
So all theory's aside- the most liukely thing happening here is just sour grapes that it aired.
And it is a news story- end of story- na scoop yung iba !
as simple as that.
NANANANANANA!!!
( note I dont work there anymore ... But I have to say good work- they got it on first)
if we will be talking about the old abs-cbn news structure, yes i'll definitely say something is fishy. but with maria ressa now initiating the moves to change the news organization (though it is complemented as a matter of economics since ABS-CBN is 2nd to GMA-7), i'll say kudos to Bandila.
the other bad thing though about Bandila is that they might purposively spoil the news in TV Patrol so viewers will continue the story at Bandila.
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