The Presidential Task Force on Media Security has stepped into the controversial “joke” made by a Metro Manila Development Authority official last Wednesday who said journalists who would write negative stories about the agency will be the subject of “tokhang.”
Task Force executive director Joel Egco said he will call the attention of the involved MMDA official to remind him of Administrative Order No. 1, which created the special unit tasked to handle cases regarding violation of the right to life, liberty and security of members of the media.
“A reporter I have known for years brought this to my attention. Before I publicly call on the official and lecture him on Admin Order no. 1, or ‘red flag’ him for such a horrible joke, I’d like to ask other reporters who were there to verify via PM to me. Thank you. Surely, my informant claimed they felt the chill. He started a joke… let’s see who starts crying,” said Egco in his official Facebook account.
Egco, a former journalist and was a reporter for Manila Standard, added “Even President Duterte does not do that, sir. Just do your job.”
Reports showed that on Wednesday, MMDA assistant general manager for planning Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. invited members of the media to attend a press conference regarding the agency’s latest policies and other issues related to traffic improvement in Metro Manila.
But before the news conference started, Garcia made a joke with the newsmen and told them off about writing “negative” stories about the MMDA.
The newsmen asked Garcia who was the media personality he is referring to, but instead of answering he kept on talking about the supposed negative stories about the MMDA and that was when he threatened journalists.
“Nasaan na yung 45 ko,” Garcia said, referring to the cal. 45 pistol. “Ipatokhang natin yan,” he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed his first administrative order creating a Presidential Task Force on Media Security.
Section 2 of the order said the task force “shall have the mandate of ensuring a safe environment for Media Workers.”
The AO stated that the task force would invite the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and the Ombudsman as observers and resource persons.
