Philippines: Journalists not impressed by ‘change of heart’ on free speech controls

10 May 07 | Comment

On the face of it, the move of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo to drop the 16 libel cases he has filed against 46 journalists is laudable. Many have praised Mr. Arroyo for his change of heart.

I do, too—but only up to a point.

Let’s look deeper. The First Gentleman – husband of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the current President of the Philippines – for all his religious rhetoric, made the U-turn for reasons of self-interest. Definitely, I don’t take that against him.

The stress of appearing in court and undergoing cross-examination can take its toll. It was his choice to testify in the hearings to show how serious he was in pursuing the cases. Now, his fragile health has stopped him.

But, in making his decision to withdraw the libel suits, the First Gentleman steered clear of the real issues. He set his terms on a religious plane, invoking God. This provides him personal comfort and he aims to rally public opinion as well.

He said in a statement, “I am determined to keep in touch with the God that has been magnanimous to me, and to let His spirit of generosity steer me through any future conflicts.”

He continued: “Seeking redress for all the grievances that the libel suits sought to address now pales in comparison to taking on a genuine chance to make peace and pursue a more positive and constructive relationship with those who will accept my offer of a handshake.”

In a predominantly Catholic country like ours, this tends to sit well with those who look at the issue as one of forgiveness and reconciliation. Questions from fellow journalists have been instructive for me in this regard.

One radio reporter asked me during an interview, right after the Palace announced on World Press Freedom Day (May 3) that Mr. Arroyo was dropping the cases, if I was now willing to reconcile with the First Gentleman. (Newsbreak was sued by Mr. Arroyo twice.).

Before he asked the question, I told him that we would have preferred that our cases be decided in the courts, on their merits. The issue, I pointed out, does not rest on one man’s magnanimity or well-being.

I thought hard about it and I’ve never looked at journalism in terms of making nice with people. Our job is not to make friends or enemies. It is to tell the truth. In the process, some get hurt, others are angered.

But that’s part of the territory—and we learn to live with it as long as we know that we are accurate, fair, honest, and we observe ethical conduct.

In another interview, a reporter said that I may be seen as harassing a sick person by choosing to pursue the cases. It struck me that standing one’s ground and seeking justice can be seen in such personal terms.

He also pointedly asked me if I wasn’t being hypocritical. Why, he argued, did we strongly protest Mr. Arroyo’s filing of the libel cases and now that he is withdrawing them, we’re being belligerent.

Journalists who file stories on a daily basis usually forget the context. I reminded him that we’ve always taken the position that the First Gentleman, by whimsically filing libel cases, has redefined libel. He no longer used it as a legitimate means to seek redress but as a tool of the powerful meant to intimidate and silence journalists.

In the history of Philippine media, it is Mr. Arroyo who has filed the most number of libel cases versus journalists. During their terms, former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Joseph Estrada filed only one libel case each.

Thus, the heart of our argument is: Mr. Arroyo is out to erode the watchdog function of the press. That is anathema in a democracy.

We’re trying to build the press as an institution that will function vigorously as part of the checks and balances in our system. As it is, we already operate in difficult conditions, where vested interests dominate some media organizations and the culture of impunity casts its dark shadow on us.

Sadly, that’s the paradox of the Philippine media. Our case dispels the myth that just because we’re the freest press in Southeast Asia and one of the oldest democracies in this part of the world, we’re doing well.

And today, we face a new battleground—in the courts.

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