THE reporters covering Malacañang on Wednesday told Communications Secretary Martin Andanar to first read the news stories before making accusations that the media “misreported” President Rodrigo Duterte’s statements on martial law.
“We take exception to the statement of Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar accusing the media of ‘misreporting’ President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement about martial law,” the Malacañang Press Corps said in a statement.
“The media have no obligation to please or satisfy sources because their loyalty belong to the citizens”•those who will be affected by the actions of people who are far more powerful than they.
“We encourage the good secretary and his officials to read the entire news stories and not just the heads or titles to get a better picture of the media’s coverage of the President.”
Duterte on Saturday said no one could stop him from declaring martial law”•not even the Supreme Court”•to deal with the worsening drug problem and to protect the Filipino people.
But Andanar, a former news reader, accused the media’s reports on the President’s statements “as the height of journalistic irresponsibility.”
He claimed that what Duterte had said was that he would only declare martial law “under the premise that the country has deteriorated into an utter state of rebellion and lawlessness””•even though the video recordings of his speech said neither invasion nor rebellion would be his reason for putting the country under military rule.
The reporters likewise slammed the administration’s tendency to deny its errors even if the video evidence clearly showed there had been no misreporting.
A review of the President’s speech in Davao City on Saturday would reveal that the media merely paraphrased or translated some of his lines, the MPC said.
“We are disturbed by the propensity of the officials of this administration to blame the media whenever the inflammatory statements of the president stir controversy or draw flak. This trend should stop as it would not contribute to the elevation of the level of public discourse.”
The Palace reporters reminded Andanar of the important role of the press in reporting how the President’s policies were being carried out.
“We hope that such behavior is not an attempt to discredit or undermine the media, which play a crucial role in keeping our democracy healthy and checking those in power,” the MPC said.