Ager Ontog, director-general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), who showed his lack of intelligence when he ordered the ban of Hongkong journalists who asked questions that displeased President Aquino during the 2013 summit of Asia Pacific Economic Conference in Bali, Indonesia, said he did not regret his order that Malacañang cancelled after it was exposed in media last week.
There are military officers who are enlightened about the role of media in a democracy but it seems that Ontog is not one of them. Which is not really surprising because even President Aquino, whose parents played a big part in Filipino people struggle to regain their freedom, including press freedom, thinks it’s media’s obligation to make him look good in public.
Servants take their cue from the master.
Ontog requested the Bureau of Immigration to ban the nine to cover the 2015 APEC summit to be held in Manila. BI’s Elaine Tan went one step further and classified the nine as “undesirable.”
Banned from entering the Philippines were Hongkong journalists Lee Kwok Keung Eric, Hon Chuen, IP Lo Pon, Yip Yiu Kwan KPLVIN, Chan Tse Nang, Li Siu Lung, Chu Wai Ying, Lo Kam Ping, Luitse Kin.
Tan said the nine journalists committed “acts against the President during the summit in Bali, Indonesia.”
What were “those acts against the President” that merited an assault on the universal human right of freedom of the press?
The Hongkong journalists asked Aquino about the August 2010 Rizal Park hostage taking where eight Hongkong tourists were killed.
The Hong kong journalists asked whether Aquino was meeting with Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-Ying and if he was going to apologize to the families of the victims.
In the video, Aquino looked nervous. His answer was inaudible. The HK journalists then asked, “So you’re ignoring the Hong Kong people, right?”
He didn’t answer.
(Last April, Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras conveyed to Hongkong the government’s “sorrowful regret and profound sympathies” while Manila City Mayor Joseph apologized putting closure to the issue.)
Tan said a foreigner maybe disallowed entry if he shows disrespect or makes utterances to “symbols” of authority, which the President is.
“The rationale is that the subject is a threat to public safety and blacklisting minimizes that risk,” she said.
Tan, Ontog and Malacañang officials should watch videos of White House interviews while the U.S. President walks. Reporters shout their questions.
That is not being disrespectful. During interviews where the reporters could not get near the officials, or where more than one ask questions, one has to shout his question to be heard.
It is understandable that Aquino would be rattled by questions of an incident which he grossly mishandled. That’s his problem.
Reporters ask questions as part of their job of giving accurate information to the public.
Unfriendly questions come with the territory for public officials. That’s a price that those in high office have to put up with.
Even Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte doesn’t seem to understand that.
Before the ban was lifted, she said, “Our position is that the exclusion would be re-assessed given that there was no similar incident during this year’s summit in Beijing.”
Even if there was, banning a reporter just because he asked a question that displeased the President is wrong.
As the Foreign Correspondent Association of the Philippines said in a statement,“ …an intelligence agency’s declaration of a journalist as a public safety threat – based only on his/her conduct of asking questions of the President and without a single complaint from either the foreign affairs department or the press office of the Office of the President, both political offices more adept at dealing with the press – gives a chilling message to journalists worldwide: If the government’s intelligence agency does not the like the way you ask questions, you may be labeled a public safety threat and blacklisted from the Philippines.”
FOCAP is asking the Aquino government particularly BI and NICA “to be clarified as to what manner of questioning the President constitutes a public safety threat.”
We are waiting for that guideline.
The protesters used journalists credentials so they could enter private property and conduct their protest in such a way as to create a security threat. They were escorted from the premises and their press passes were confiscated. APEC is also against press freedom? This has nothing to do with freedom of the press, as I’ll blog on Friday. It has to do with people abusing press privileges to undertake political protest. Why not condemn Hong Kong for undermining journalism standards? You choose instead to criticize Aquino. Politics is everywhere I guess.
#1 i agree with you.. This has nothing to do with press freedom. Its all about journalistic ethics. Knowing hong kong people conduct. Very impolite.
Actually, as we always keep reminding everyone, rights and Freedoms are not obsolute… If the limits to those rights are justified and prescribed in law, it is but Normal in Free and Democratic Society.
And that is where the the very Famous “oakes Test” comes into play.. What is the reasonable Limits.? this set of test are now used as Standard in many countries where Rights and Freedoms are resonably and justifiably infringed for the better Good of Society..
this maybe a case of “you reap what you sow”. knowing noynoy, no filipino will disagree if someone says how insensitive he is towards the feeling of others especially people who do not belong to his league. as president, he is not fair to all. in expressing what he feels, he always puts the blame on others if and when his pet policies fail and seems never observe a proper place and time in allowing his top to blow.
#MPRivera, I agree President Aquino gets angry from time to time. I’m wondering who does not. I look at 2016 presidential possibilities: Santiago (angry all the time), Roxas (two incidents I recall, Cagayan de Oro being one when cops cleared the scene before he got there; also golf club rant), Binay (simmering anger for three months now, most toward Mercado), Trillanes (cat fights with Enrile and Del Rosario), Cayetano (his sub-committee work is one big controlled anger), Poe (at Purisima for not showing up at her meeting) . . . who else?
I also note that President Aquino has remained calm during Zamboanga, and when Hong Kong and Taiwan heads of state were ranting loudly. And during the various Chinese aggressions . . . He ranted at the Supreme court at Dap, and at other times.
It seems to me he has been calm when it counts, and angry when it works for him politically.
Like any other big time politician. Maybe your expectations are too pure? Unforgiving. Maybe even angry?
Disagreements? Buhay ka pa naman di ba?
Reminds me of the guy who was in the path of a flying shoe; and the response which I can only describe as a class act. I rarely agreed with the policies of the fellow, but he sure had wit and class.
When asked about the incident by another reporter, Bush said, “It’s a way for people to draw attention. I don’t know what the guy’s cause was. I didn’t feel the least bit threatened by it.”
When later asked to reflect on the incident, Bush said, “I didn’t have much time to reflect on anything, I was ducking and dodging. I’m not angry with the system. I believe that a free society is emerging, and a free society is necessary for our own security and peace,” he added.
Hindi rin naman sila siguro pupunta dito sa Pilipinas na mga journalist bakit pa i ban. May tao ba na pupunta sa isang lugar na maging delikado ang buhay, kung mayroon man ay bihira na lang.
@sax
not so much a class act but ignorance of another culture. he was not offended because he didn’t understand it was offensive. ignorance in that case, was bliss 🙂
Bush like most of the western world had no idea how insulting that was. same with what they did to Saddam’s portraits and statue.
#5. joe of america, you don’t have to play blind, deaf and dumb to realize how noynoy handles certain situations. how indifferent he is if and when his KKKKK forever are caught in the limelight. have you forgotten the controversies his inner circle got involved with? what did he (noynoy) did outrightly? defend shield each of them? clear everyone from glaring evidences?
you mean angry? for what? for neglecting us victims of atrocities in zamboanga rendering us homeless with nothing to start with? for abandoning his bigmouthed words funds were to be provided for our relocation and shelter? for leaving the quake victims on their own? for a tutle like implementation of relief/aid to typhoon victims?
you can say all you want with this BECAUSE maybe you have no relatives/friends who experienced being neglected by this government.
where are the promised BILLION PESOS funds intended for rehabilitation of victims of calamities? the millions of dollars of foreign aid?
“……what did he (noynoy) DO outrightly?
#6 and # 7, ignorance or class act, that’s democracy.
The reporters were too hostile. I wonder if they can do the same with Xi Liping. Maybe they wont just end up being banned, maybe worst.