Govt, media pursue 4-point dialogue on handling crisis incidents

Govt, media pursue 4-point dialogue on handling crisis incidents Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCCO) head Herminio Coloma unveiled in a press conference on Tuesday a four-point “consensus" on protocol in handling hostage incidents and other similar crises, even as several media groups viewed the issues differently while agreeing on the need for further dialogue. Through “informal consultations" with media organizations, Coloma said, he came up with several points “around which there seems to be a gathering consensus":

• A no-negotiation policy
• restraint in live media coverage
• stricter administrative police supervision, and
• establishment of a government crisis communication center.

Malacañang began holding talks with media groups such as the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) and the National Press Club (NPC) in response to the August 23 hostage tragedy, said Coloma. The media has been criticized for its role in the hostage crisis, when dismissed police officer Rolando Mendoza hijacked a bus and parked it at the Quirino Grandstand, and held its 25 passengers hostage, including 21 tourists from Hong Kong. Mendoza and eight Hong Kong tourists were killed after an 11-hour standoff. The testimony of bus driver Alberto Lubang given to the Incident Investigation Review Committee, the body tasked to probe the hostage crisis, indicates that Mendoza began to get agitated and violent after watching on a television set on board the bus the media coverage of police arresting his brother, SPO4 Gregorio Mendoza. “Sa aspect ng media regulation, dahil marami nakapuna rito, tinatalakay namin ito sa NPC, KBP at ibang organization ng media practitioners (On the aspect of media regulations, because it was widely criticized, we consulted with the NPC, KBP and other organizations of media practitioners)," Coloma said in an interview on dwIZ radio on Tuesday. Coloma’s use of the word “consensus," however, triggered a range of media reactions that questioned the implied arrival at a clear agreement between government and media. He later denied using the word “consensus," even though a transcript of the PCOO secretary's press briefing on Tuesday shows that he did indeed use the word." CMFR, KBP focus on internal guidelines Members of the media industry should “get together and talk about how to internally address these issues," said Melinda Quintos de Jesus, head of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR). Coloma also cited the CMFR as one of the media organizations he consulted. Coloma likewise had an informal conversation with KBP chairperson Ruperto Nicdao, according to KBP legal counsel Rudolph Jularbal. In the informal exchange with Coloma, the KBP emphasized a working relationship between the media and government that would be calibrated more on a case-to-case basis, with the media setting its own internal guidelines, Jularbal explained. If the government wants official guidelines for crises protocols, it should focus on setting parameters for its own personnel, like the PNP, Jularbal said. “The KBP has always upheld self-regulation," he added. Coloma explained that the Malacañang’s communications agency is continuing the dialogue with media groups, towards a situation where these groups can impose “appropriate measures" on themselves to ensure that media coverage “would not impair police or security operations." Points of contention One point emphasized by Coloma was that members of media should refrain from “directly involving themselves or interfering in police operations, including hostage negotiations." In negotiations with hostage-takers, it is standard protocol to avoid saying an outright no to their demands as much as possible. But experience shows that hostage-takers tend to request media people as negotiators, so the no-negotiation clause in the 'consensus' is problematic, noted Benny Antiporda of Alyansa ng mga Pilipinong Mamahayag (APM). The alternative would be to train certain media representatives how to handle hostage situations, so that they’ll be ready if such a crisis takes place and media is asked to play a role beyond coverage, Antiporda added. The APM official also clarified that he does not know of any recent consultation undertaken between his group and the PCCO. Neither Coloma nor anyone else in Malacañang has also consulted with GMA Network and its affiliated station dzBB, which have provided a significant part of the live media coverage of the August 23 hostage incident. Raising a related point, Coloma said that the media must consider “the possibility of putting some restraints on the live coverage of an assault or of actual troop movements." In an informal dialogue with Coloma, however, NPC head Jerry Yap stated: “We are against any new policy or guideline that could affect our exercise of press freedom." Yap told the PCCO secretary that the emphasis should be on “self-imposed regulation" of the media, not any imposed external restraints. Another point raised by Coloma was that the police should enforce a "stricter administrative supervision" or a more restrictive control of the area where the crisis is taking place. The government or the police would also have to designate a coordinator to lead the operations of a crisis communication center, he added This center will act as a clearinghouse or a team that oversees the actions of different groups. The police have also received harsh criticism for their handling of the hostage crisis and its bloody conclusion. –With report from Larissa Mae R. Suarez/VVP/JV, GMANews.TV