Media – Page 26 – ellen tordesillas

Ateneo polsci students make a stand

Published by Ellen on December 16, 2007

A call for change

The events that happened last November 29, 2007 marks an important day in these our modern times. It was an event that has been downplayed as another foiled coup attempt or presented as the Manila Pen siege by different sides, but at the basic sense it stands to be called the Manila Peninsula Standoff: a clash between Senator Trillanes et al and the stateâ€™s security forces. A clash that has seen the resounding call for the ouster of the current administration made by the group of Senator Trillanes, the aggressive armed response of the government in neutralizing these dissidents and the highly questionable actions taken by the government with regards to the media and the general populace.

Manila Pen incident – not a case of rebellion or warrantless arrest

Published by Ellen on December 16, 2007

All of the accused are clearly illegally and arbitrarily detained

by Atty. Ernesto B. Francisco, Jr.
Counsel for the Guingonas & some of the Accused

(Probe Team, ABS-CBN did a good documentary on the Nov. 29 incident. You can check it out in their website. It’s titled “Trabaho lang, walang personalan” four parts.

http://www.probetv.com/search_result.php?search_id=manila+pen&search_typ=search_videos)

The complaint for rebellion filed in connection with the Manila Pen incident should be DISMISSED FOR LACK OF PROBABLE CAUSE on the basis of the following grounds:

A perusal of the DOJ Panel Resolution and its supporting evidence clearly shows that they failed to establish probable cause that the crime of rebellion has been committed as would warrant the dismissal of the instant case.

Maria Ressa’s position paper on media at the Pen

Published by Ellen on December 13, 2007

by Maria A. Ressa
Head, ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs Division

On November 29, 2007, more than 30 journalists were arrested, handcuffed and transported to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan. 12 of the journalists were from ABS-CBN, detained as “witnesses and suspects,” according to the police. Others were told they would be released as soon as their identities were verified.

Head of Newsgathering, Charie Villa, went immediately to the Peninsula Hotel to identify our people; yet, she was told they would still have to be arrested and brought to Bicutan. We believe this move sets a dangerous precedence and erodes our nation’s democracy.

NHK’s Chairmaine Deogracias on Manila Pen incident

Published by Ellen on December 13, 2007

Good morning. I am Charmaine Deogracias a reporter for Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK)/Japan Broadcasting Corp. NHK is Japan’s sole public broadcaster, thus it is independent from any private or governmental organization and doesn’t run its five television and three radio services for the Japanese audience on commercial basis. NHK Manila is just one of its 26 news bureaus around the world, while it maintains 54 stations across Japan. NHK also broadcasts news and general programs for overseas viewers and listeners on both television and radio. Its programs are distributed round-the-clock to foreign cable TV stations, satellite broadcasters, while some can be accessed on the internet. The company prides itself to have pioneered broadcasting in the digital High Definition format, the first in the world, through its recent satellite channel, the Digital Hi-Vision.

Our news broadcast is mainly in Japanese but I do English reports for various news programs for NHK World, the international broadcasting service of NHK. Our news bureau in Manila also covers outside the Philippines whenever and wherever we will be needed when news breaks anywhere in Asia.

Media concerns in Nov. 29 incident

Published by Ellen on December 13, 2007

There are good pictures of the Nov. 29 incident in this site. Please click here.

(This is the statement I read at the hearing of the Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights and Public Order and Illegal Drugs on the warrantless arrest of members of media after the Manila Peninsula standoff.)

In the November 29 incident at the Manila Peninsula, I see two media -related concerns: The first pertains to the duty of a journalist to inform the public of the unfolding crisis as truthfully as he or she can. The second pertains to the constitutional right of a person—journalist or not—to liberty and due process.

When I decided to stay at the Manila Peninsula despite the evacuation order from authorities (Malaya was never officially informed about the warning from the PNP, but learned about it from TV news), it was in performance of my duty as a journalist, which is to inform the public as truthfully as I can of the unfolding events that I considered—and still consider—of national interest.

Media arrests preview of ‘more dangerous times ahead’

Published by Ellen on December 13, 2007

Cabinet secretaries snub Senate’s media arrest hearing

Click here for Inquirer’s account: Media asserts rights, role in democracy

From ABS-CBN Online:

Journalists present at a Senate hearing on Thursday expressed fears because of the police’s arrest of media people who decided to stay inside a luxury hotel in Makati City last month while a group of rebel soldiers led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim were calling on the public to withdraw support to President Arroyo.

In her opening statement during the hearing, Malaya newspaper columnist Ellen Tordesillas, said scenes of movies about The Holocaust came into her mind while she and other journalists were being lined up and brought into a waiting police bus after the six-hour standoff.

Reminiscing with Rene

Published by Ellen on December 9, 2007

His voice, hoarse and not yet fully recovered, Rene Saguisag’s eyes sparkled as he reminisced Dec. 7, 1982 when Marcos’ military raided the office of We Forum, the sister company of Malaya, and the subsequent legal battle for press freedom.

He shook his head sadly when the conversation touched on the Nov. 29, 2007 incident at the Manila Pen and the arrest and handcuffing of media who covered the crisis.

On the eve of his checkout from the Makati Medical Center where he was confined after surviving a vehicular accident (his wife, Dulce, died) last Nov. 8; we visited Rene to mark the 25th anniversary of the raid and closure of We Forum.

Nothing has changed

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

Today, Dec.7 is the 25th year anniversary of the raid of We Forum, the forerunner of Malaya, by Marcos soldiers for publishing articles on his fake medals. Sen. Joker Arroyo,Makati mayor Jejomar Binay, Rene Saguisag were some of the lawyers who helped WEe Forum/Malaya foudner Jose Burgos, Jr. assert freedom of the press. The situation today is as bad, even worse, than during the Marcos dictatorship.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who is PDP Laban national president, yesterday expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will once again uphold press freedom as it did in its ruling on the case of Jose Burgos Jr. and other journalists who were arrested on sedition charges by the military 25 years ago.

In a raid on Dec. 7 1982, the military also closed down the offices of We Forum and its sister publication Metropolitan Mail, and seized all its printing machines, vehicles, equipment, and assorted documents and items.

Palace backs arrest of media men

Published by Ellen on December 7, 2007

Malacañang yesterday backed Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno on arresting media persons who violate the law next time a crisis such as the Manila Peninsula standoff takes place.

“Everybody should follow the law,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

Ermita said the media persons who were brought to the headquarters of the Metro Manila police after the standoff Thursday last week also could not complain of having been handcuffed because it is part of police procedure.

Arrest of media men will be the rule:Puno

Published by Ellen on December 5, 2007

by Ashzel and Regina Bengco

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday justified the police arrest of media men covering last week’s occupation by Magdalo officers and soldiers of the Manila Peninsula and warned they would be treated the same in future occasions if found “obstructing justice.”

Puno gave the warning during a dialogue at the Manila Peninsula with representatives of the media who have assailed the arrest and handcuffing of journalists covering the six-hour stand off between the Magdalo group led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and security forces.

Puno said in future police operations, journalists who fail to comply with an order to leave a crime scene would be arrested and possibly handcuffed.

Category: Media