Spreading false information is not funny at all. Worse, it is coming from official sources.
Last Sunday, Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, released to media the information that a Chinese vessel rammed a Philippine fishing boat, Axl John, last June 20 on the waters near Bolinao, Pangasinan.
Four of the eight fishermen aboard Axl John were rescued but one later died. Four are still missing.
How sure was Ramos that it was a Chinese vessel? He said that was according to the fishermen who saw the markings on the ship. Apparently the name was not written in Roman alphabet which Filipinos are familiar with.
The fishermen said they were expecting the vessel to rescue them and were shocked when they were hit and left adrift in the rough seas.
Based on that skimpy information, Ramos shared with members of media his thoughts: “That’s why it’s suspicious.”
He concluded that the ramming was done on purpose because he said, “If it was accidental, then they should have helped.”
With the Scarborough or Panatag shoal standoff winding down, reporters irresponsibly connected the incident to it describing the area of the incident as “north of Scarborough shoal.” Never mind if the disputed shoal is something like 180 nautical miles away.
The next day, having rested at the hospital, the fishermen were not sure anymore if it was really a Chinese vessel because they said they didn’t see any member of the crew. They also couldn’t tell the difference between Chinese characters from Japanese characters.
Here comes the Philippine Coast Guard saying that “it’s likely” the vessel that rammed AXL John was MV Peach Mountain, a Hongkong –registered bulk carrier.
Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, quoting a report from Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, said, “With a great degree of certainty, Philippine Navy was able to discount Peach Mountain.”
“The Philippine Navy was able to plot their route and their speed based on those parameters that we are able to compute and to determine with a great degree of certainty that it (Peach Mountain) was not responsible for the incident,” Lacierda explained adding that investigation by the Navy is ongoing.
Coast Guard officials also tried to undo the “damage” created by Ramos’ statement saying that it’s possible that the big vessel didn’t see the Axl John which was understandable given that it’s small, the weather was bad and visibility was poor.
This is not the first time that media and the public were given unverified information by government officials.
The National Union of Journalists of Philippines condemned statements by government officials saying Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani, who is reported to be in the custody of the Abu Sayyaf, is being suspected of having links with the al-Qaida terrorist network.
An official was quoted as saying that Atyani was seen as a “terrorist cell contact” citing the several interviews conducted by Atyani with slain al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden months before the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States.
“A government official maligning the reputation of a journalist simply because of guilt by association from stories that he/she legitimately gathered and reported is extremely irresponsible,” NUJP said.
We should also include Land Registration Authority Eulalio Diaz III who gave the prosecution team in the impeachment trial of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona a list of 45 properties allegedly owned by Corona. The prosecution, in turn, released it to media who went to town with the list.
It turned out later that correct number was only 21.
Government officials should be reminded that giving out false information to the public is as bad as blocking access to information. It’s rumor mongering. It’s a violation of “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees” which requires that “Public officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill.”
One also shudders to think that government decisions are made based on wrong information.
Hindi kaya dapat din ang media ay hindi nagiging echo chamber? Basta pinublish na lang nila ang statement ni Ramos, they didn’t even bother to check with the fishermen, the coast guard, and the navy. Eh sino ba ang dapat nakakaalam ng detalye nung aksidente, yun tiga NDRRMC o yun mga nabangga at ang coast guard at navy? Ganun din yun land titles at yun akusasyon ng mga abogado ni Corona na nilagyan ang mga senador nang tig P100 para bumoto laban kay Corona. Maski ano na lang ibinabalita basta makabenta ng dyaryo at makahigh ratings sa TV. Parang wala silang paki kahit na alam nila na ang mga nasa gobyerno at mga politico ay takaw sa limelight.
“Why are high government officials so eager to release unverified information that later turn out to be false?”
For a 15 minute of fame, oppsie.. shame!
MB, you are correct about media’s duty to verify all info received before publishing. That’s responsible reporting. There’s no excuse for “nakuryente.”
But government officials also should be responsible and make sure that their information is correct.
Oo nga, mb, tira lang ng tira pareho sila. We need more responsible government officials, and media practitioners as well.
Ellen, I have observed that during more than 3 decades of being the reader and subscriber of the Toronto Star, the Paper in a very rare circumstances if ever made a mistake or reported a false or misleading news due to its source, immediately clarify the error and apologize to its readers. And will stand steadfast and fight if it believes in its story, all the way to the court…Up to now, the City Mayor still wants his apology…(he claims that the Star reporters been watching or spying on him, even in his residence…He chased one of them once and the poor reporter just jettisoned his staff including his low batt cell which the mayor charged and check what was in it…nothing proven by the cops, so all is well,,he is as big as a Summo wrestler)
#1. Agree.
The problem is that the media loves to sensationalize. Siempre mas marami ang bibili ng diaryo, manonood ng TV o makikinig sa radyo. Oh yeah, pati na mag-internet.
Kung sino ang naiipit, siya ang pipiyak. The media is out for profit. They are just any other business out to make money. Let’s not forget that.
Pare-pareho lang yang mga pawala, kesyo sa gobyerno, sa simbahan o sa media. Mahalagang marunong kumilatis ng katutuhanan, kasinungalingan o propaganda ang mga sumusubaybay sa mga ito.
#3. “But government officials also should be responsible and make sure that their information is correct.”
That goes for the media as well, diba? Also, the media should police themselves. Marami diyan ng mga anti-gov’t newspapers, kundi man pro-government na balikwas ang mga balita. Napaka ipokrita naman na sisihin o akusahan ang isang panig lamang lalo na kung alam naman na ang pang-aabuso ay gawa ng dalawa kung di lahat ng panig.
Pakiwari ko, ang media ay may di bangit na usapan na di sila katalo. Kamutin mo likod ko at ganoon din ako sa iyo.
Loko pala tong si Ramos eh. Palagi namang nangyayari to sa atin na nasasagasaan ng barko ang bangka tapos tuloy tuloy pa rin ang takbo, hindi talaga makikita o maririnig ang mga to lalo na sa gabi. Magtanong siya sa mga bangkero para maliwanagan siya, hindi yung yakity yak lang siya irresponsibly. Siyempre ang media kadalasan iri report nila pag galing sa credible sources eh bakit ba nasa position siya kung hindi siya credible. Hindi ba pwedeng ilipat ng assignment tong mokong na to?
di ba diyan sila napapansin ng media?
diyan sila nagiging sikat AT kung hindi sila marunong magsinungaling nariyan ba kaya sila sa gabinete?
sino ba ang numero unong mga sinungaling?
aber nga?
Iresponsableng bibig, hindi naman sya si Miriam. Whaaaaaaa!
Maybe we should stop putting some blame on the media for its reporting. This is not a case where a small lady secretly left the information at the office or at the gate of Ramos whereby one can doubt its credibility and value.
Ramos is in a position of responsibility, the executive director of NDRRMC, a cabinet position at that, so whatever he announces is assumed to be credible, believable, responsible and carrys a weight of truth owing to his position. Nobody expects him to announce something that is beyond his knowledge of the incident being the head of the department.
The media on their part just picked-up and reported what was announced and it’s not their fault to report it. Of course we don’t expect the media to go to China Sea to verify what happened when the top official of the department already made the announcement.
One thing however is true with this administration. Very often than not, there are too many cooks in their kitchen. Palaging chop suey ang menu nila.
And in the case of Ramos, maybe he should quit. Ang “kuryente” niya ay hindi local kundi international and that is unaaceptable.
Diba ang mga mahilig sa rumors, tsismoso? 😛
Tama ka mike kaso nanggaling sa opisyal ng gobyerno ang unverified report na yan. Sana maging maingat lalo na ang concerned agency ng pamahalaan sa paglalabas ng mga sensitibong isyu lalo na’t mainit ngayon ang usapan sa Spratlys.
The latest version. There was no ramming according to DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas:
Quoting the three surviving fishermen of the AXL John, Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II on Thursday said the fishing boat sank after the foreign vessel, believed to be registered in Hong Kong, swept past them with great force.
Roxas said that before the cargo vessel surged past, the two-engine fishing boat was already docked in an artificial reef after experiencing motor problems.
“They tied their boat (to the reef) so they won’t drift … and while there, the cargo vessel passed by (but) did not ram them…,” he told reporters at the Manila International Container Terminal in the Port of Manila, where he attended the inauguration of a berth owned by the International Container Terminal Services Inc.
What might have happened was that the huge waves kicked up by the passing vessel rocked the fishing boat, according to Roxas.
“There were big waves and the more they (the fishermen) were battered (lalo silang naalog),” Roxas said….
Roxas said it was possible the foreign vessel did not see the boat, or saw it and tried to avoid it.
“We really do not know. This is all speculation,” he added.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/220161/roxas-waves-not-ship-sank-philippine-fishing-boat
Why don’t they try this version: Finish the investigation. Until then,close your mouth.
#11
Ganun ba? Pano kung Education secretary ang nag-isyu nung statement na yun would you also say he is in a position of responsibility, a cabinet position at that, so whatever he announces is assumed to be credible, believable, responsible and carrys a weight of truth owing to his position. Kasi yun position ni Ramos ay head ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Ang tinanong sana ng media sa sarili nila ay paano naging sakop ng trabaho at kaalaman ng head ng national disaster council yun bankang nabangga ng barko? National disaster ba yun nangyari?
#16
Korek ka dyan Ellen. Shut up muna. And media should just wait for the investigation report. Ay naku eh ang Inquirer naman pala ang naglabas ng storya. Kilala naman natin kung anong klaseng dyaryo ang Inquirer.
Nga pala nabalitaan mo ba yun major booboo ng CNN at Fox dun sa pag announce nila ng desisyon ng US Supreme Court sa Obamacare? Best illustration of prioritizing being first to being right.
re #15
Why don’t they try this version: Finish the investigation. Until then,close your mouth.
Tumpak ellen!
When this latest incident occurred, I also saw the inconsistencies and confusing statement from the government.
Ang dami nagsasalita pero nothing definitive. Lets also remember this is not just on this international incident but also simple local issues.
Take for example a police raid or a car accident gone wrong. Kulang kulang at puro opinions.
But lets not forget media doing the same thing. Media does not only report nowadays, it also provide commentary. Commentary that are leading towards opinions versus facts. The opinion section is not limited to the middle section of the paper. Front page pa lang opinions na.
In my visits to countries in Europe and the US, one thing is evident in their reporting of news or the government announcement are very bland. Its basically, the who, what, when, when, and why.
For example, a gun shooting say in a suburb in Los Angeles. The US media which they get the information directly from the police media, would report the who (the victims and suspects), the what (gun, murder, weapon used, etc), where (the street block, etc), when, and why.
Now the why part, most of the time, the police does not comment and they would only say, the investigation is ongoing. No opinion. No theories.
Same goes with the media reporting. No opinion, no theories. May konting commentary like avoid this or expect more these or that.
Sa atin, iba, baligtad, storytelling na agad. May commentary na, possibleng murder dahil sa pagibig, etc.
This goes both from government and our news outlet.
The worst part i’ve seen in our media and government is the follow through. After that incident, nalimutan na. No followup coverage.
Why is that? Why do government/elected officials open their mouth (example na lang yung Corona trial where kaliwat kana, senators were giving interviews)? Because of two things:
-Filipinos love the drama.
-Filipinos love the uso.
(Don’t get me wrong, everybody loves the two, but Filipinos can’t live with either one).
Take those two items out, di na mabenta yung storya.