Customs weeds out ‘fake’ press

It’s probably the most “covered” government agency since almost 120 media persons want to keep watch on its operations, one way or another.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday began implementing a media accreditation policy purportedly designed to ferret out “fake journalists” who are known to brandish press badges to engage in illicit activities in the bureau.

Two groups—the Customs Media Association and the Customs Trimedia Association—earlier questioned the policy before the Supreme Court, saying it curtailed press freedom, but the high tribunal did not issue a temporary restraining order.

The BOC issued the first batch of 55 IDs to what it considered “legitimate” media representatives—including reporters, photographers and cameramen—from 40 print and broadcast media companies.

The agency’s Public Information and Assistance Division (PIAD) said the ID cards were “radio-frequency enhanced” and could be used to monitor the “activities” of their bearers.

According to PIAD chief Elenita Abaño, at least 117 media workers applied for accreditation under the new policy, but only 55 were given the new IDs while the rest, mostly representing weekly tabloids focusing on the BOC, were rejected.

The media accreditation policy was introduced by Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon five months ago through Customs Memorandum Order 37-2011.

Biazon earlier said the order would enable the agency to weed out “fake” media persons and monitor legitimate ones who may be engaging in illicit money-making activities, such as acting as fixers or go-between for smugglers, or accepting payoffs from unscrupulous customs officials.

“For so long a time, the BOC was practically an open field for any reporter—real or not. This media environment has brought about an astonishing number of reporters covering the BOC,” he said.

Biazon stressed that the order was not issued to curtail press freedom but to set the “ground rules” for media work in the bureau while “protect(ing) the interest of customs personnel and legitimate reporters” covering the BOC.

“There’s nothing wrong with knowing the people entering one’s place, if only for security reasons,” he added.

Biazon said he earlier consulted the presidents of the two media associations covering BOC and some nonaffiliated reporters to get inputs for the new policy.