PALACE TO FOCAP
‘Screening questions not censorship’
By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:15:00 10/03/2008
Filed Under: censorship, Protest, Government, Media
MANILA, Philippines -- Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said Malacañang’s decision to screen questions from foreign correspondents who had requested an interview with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was "fair" and did not amount to censorship.
Malacañang cancelled the President's briefing with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), which was scheduled on Thursday, saying Press Secretary Jesus Dureza was unavailable.
"There was no intention at all, as you purport, to 'manage the press' or 'censor' the members of media when a request was made to FOCAP to send in advance questions for the President to answer," Dureza said in a letter sent to FOCAP President Jason Gutierrez of the Agence France-Presse on Thursday.
"As we all know, every spoken word or answer carries the weight of the presidency. It is therefore but fair that topical issues or items are sent in advance so that adequate substantive preparations are made," Dureza said.
In letter dated September 30 to Dureza regretting the postponement of the meeting with Arroyo, Gutierrez said the FOCAP board and membership “were dismayed when we learned that the President will not entertain ‘political questions’.”
“We hope for your speedy recovery and look forward to the re-scheduling of the meeting with the President,” Gutierrez also said.
Dureza was hospitalized in New York earlier in the week for gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach lining, while accompanying Arroyo on an official visit there.
The press secretary said the concerns of the FOCAP members were "misplaced" and that it was "unfortunate" that the Palace’s request for advance questions was viewed in a negative light.
On the day of Arroyo’s botched interview with FOCAP, Dureza moderated a briefing of the government's economic managers for the Malacañang Press Corps and business journalists.
In the same letter to FOCAP Dureza said Arroyo would host a "no attribution" dialogue with the Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) on Friday.
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