A Philippine Daily Inquirer report said three broadcast journalists received payments from National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor), an agency under the Department of Agriculture that was used as conduit for the release of Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) money that went into ghost projects.
The anomalous operations were the handiwork of Janet Napoles in connivance with lawmakers including Senators Juan Ponce-Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla.
Based on the affidavits of former Nabcor officials Rhodora Mendoza and Victor Cacal, Inquirer named Erwin Tulfo of TV5 and Carmelo del Prado Magdurulang of GMA7. A third broadcaster who allegedly got P2 million was not named in the report although the name is being mentioned in the media circle.
The Inquirer report said Erwin was issued a Nabcor check in the amount of P245,535 drawn from the agency’s account at United Coconut Planters’ Bank (UCPB), Tektite Branch PSE Center, Ortigas, Pasig City on March 10, 2009.
In the case of Magdurulang known as Melo del Prado, who hosts a radio show in GMA7’s DZBB, three checks were issued dated April 27, May 14, and July 6 totaling P245,535.
I talked with Erwin yesterday and he explained that in 2009, Radio Mindanao Network offered him the job of hosting a radio show with Doris Bigornia (now back in ABS-CBN) for a talent fee of P25,000 a month, which he found measly.
He and RMN-DZXL agreed that he be given advertising spots in the program which he could market. The proceeds from those spots would be his. He said it’s an “industry practice” and the spots are called “premium advertisements.”
He said it’s a legitimate practice and the kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas knows about it. The Nabcor ads in his DZXL program, he said, were “supported by a contract, a CD of the commercial, withholding tax documents, receipts and vouchers…just like any other government ads such as PAG-I BIG,PAGCOR etc.”
Erwin insists it’s legal and he is determined to clear his name. He said he will go to court. (Tulfo filed a suit vs PDI Monday March 24, 2014)
I will leave the legal aspect of this controversy to the lawyers because Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said “It concerns public funds, and may kasama kang public officials, then you are part of it, you can be charged with such offenses as direct bribery and malversation of public funds.”
I’m more concerned about the ethical aspect of the what it seems has become a standard media practice: journalists doubling as advertising solicitors. Erwin said there’s even one broadcast practice called AOB (Air on Board) , where anchors read the press release of advertisers for a fee. He said he does not do that.
It is a fact that advertisements are the lifeblood of media. But the advertising department is separate from the editorial department.
Independence is a basic journalism value. For journalists to be credible and effective in their role of society’s watchdog, they have to be independent and that includes from the influence of the publication or network’s advertisers. A journalist reports something he discovered that would be of interest to and benefit the people and not because someone paid him to do it or it’s a requirement from advertisers.
To accept money from the Government agency to Hush Hush some Dirty Laundry even by legal processes is still can be considered a payoff or direct Bribery if proven to be such…no way going around it.
In bribery, there should be the briber and the person being bribed. Neither would admits it. So, bribery is difficult to prove. Bribery could be in many forms not just cash. It could be material things like gifts or special favors and privileges.
The question of this topic is if it’s ethical to solicit ads. It may be unethical but legal. Broadcast and print media survive through commercial ads. A TV program be it talk show or news/political program cannot survive without commercials. For a new TV program that’s just starting, it’s a common practice to solicit ads. When a show has become too popular with high rating, commercial ads sometimes become longer than the program itself which annoys lots of viewers including myself. Companies themselves seek a space in the program because they know it sells. Here comes the influence of the host or commentator. A radio or TV commentator attacks an issue or personality daily then all of a sudden, he stops. Is this not going to draw some suspicion? That’s what they refer to as “Attack & Collect”.
And if the commentator solicit ads from the company he’s attacking, is this not blackmail?
The truth is and Madam Ellen would concur that media payola has been going on for a long time until this day. There was one time it was exposed and investigation conducted; but as usual it went nowhere.
To my mind, we could easily know if a media person or journalist is into unethical or even illegal activities. Check his lifestyle. Is he living beyond his means? That’s why that the BIR should also look into the journalists assets to see if what they have reported in their income is accurate.
There’s one veteran popular broadcaster who’s still active today after retiring from politics. People wonder if he really needs the job at this giant network. Some believe he returns to his old job to protect himself. If he’s implicated in scam, he has the station and his colleagues to defend him. At the very least, the station would water down the scandal. His colleagues would avoid discussing the issue in detail compared to other scams.
What confirms people’s suspicion that he’s back to protect himself is his refusal to discuss and comment on one of the current hot issues involving a crook in housing scam. The report is that the two are close buddies.
Korek ka diyan Ellen. Yang solicitation of ads by journalists is a euphemism for extortion/blackmail. The KBP should be the first to prohibit its members from soliciting ads. No more arrangements like Erwin Tulfo had with his station. Kasalanan yan ng stations and print media for allowing the practice. Nagbubulag-bulagan sila if they claim ignorance of the practice.
Thanks for the very interesting article. The Philippine media are “self regulated”, so the ability to do any thing to stop such practices is remote. They might slap the hands of these three characters, but there is no mechanism to write a code of LAW, more solid than professional ethics, that bans such practices. Unless Congress wants to take it up . . . but then, why? . . . They love the free-winging ways and doors of influence that open out of the public’s eye.
Isa lang ang amo ng journalist: and KATOTOHANAN. Kung gusto mong pasukin ang advertising, doon ka sa advertising companies magtrabaho. You cannot serve two masters at the same time.
Korek, JCJ #6.
Agreed #6!
Humahaba ang kamay ng PDAF scam,i-push nyo yan!
#6 Many TV hosts, talk show hosts are products endorsers. Does it also make their advertising contracts unethical?
Haha, sa panahon ni Marcos reklamo ng reklamo dahil limitado ang pagbalita sa radyo, diaryo, tv. Ngayon na walang limit sa pagbalita ay reklamo pa rin mula sa himpilan ng pagbabalita. Kaya nga may salita na advertising fee dahil may bayad sa pag advertise sa radyo, tv, at diaryo. Ang matalino na tao ngayon ay nabobobo na dahil wala na ang lider na si Marcos na pinakamatalino na naging pinuno ng bansa. Panahon ni Marcos maraming matalino at magaling na tao. Ngayon kaunti na lang dahil kahit magaling puwedeng maimpluwensyahan puro na lang corruption nasa isip. Ang daming naging corrupt ng mapatalsik si Marcos.
Arvin, there you go again with your Marcos talks. Every post you make, Marcos’ name is always there.
Anyway, I partly agree with you. There’s always a limit to press freedom. Freedom is not absolute. Look at how it’s being abused today.
Sa blog kung maglagay ng logo ng isang blog ng tao ang iba ay sumisingil. Depende sa usapin, ang iba every 6 months, 1 year o ano pa na pagrenew. Ako sumingil ako ng 15 dollar per year paglagay ng logo ng blog nila sa blog ko. Siyempre sisingil ako kasi kagaya ng iba. Kasi pag click ang logo nila sa blog ko ay makita naman blog nila. Pero ngayon di na ako aktibo masyado sa pagblog ay hinahayaan ko na lang mga logo na nandoon sa blog ko. Di na ako singil kasi nakakahiya na emessage uli sila na bayad uli. Parang ano lang iyan “ano ka siniswerte, eadvertise ang product mo ng libre.” Mula ng mapatalsik si Marcos wala ng libre.
#9 – I don’t consider TV talk show hosts like Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino as journalists.
#13 Yes, but Boy Abunda has a column. I don’t know if entertainment writers are considered journalists, though.
It is sad but here in our country I can only relate what I heard when my neighbor siblings are arguing; “walang batas batas dito sa pinas”.
Look what this idiots transportation group threatening to increase their minimum fare charge by .50cents without an LTFRB approval.
when an existing law benefits someone big connected it is legal if not; sori ka na lang.
The greatest problem we have in this country is not obeying the laws. They keep on enacting and passing bills. Our laws are more than enough already. It’s obeying and enforcing them.
Many hit Marcos’ Martial Law. But during the early years of Martial Law, I have witnessed the discipline and obedience of laws by the citizens. Call it fear, but if that’s what was needed, so be it. Sometimes, a country needs a leader with iron hand. Too much freedom is not always good.
#16, I agree with you that on the early years of martial law, there was order, but what about the latter years?
From 1978 to 1986, this is where the cronyism and corruption crept in our society. this is where marcos failed. Sabi ng iba, di raw nagpayaman, bulag ba sila….
hanggang ngayon hinahabol pa ng mga Filipino ang mga offshore accounts nila, mga perang nakatago/nakadeposito sa iba’t ibang bangko sa ibang bansa…