Undersecretary Ernesto Abella, presidential spokesperson (Malacañang file photo by ROBINSON NIÑAL JR.)
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) on Tuesday called on presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella to address its state-run news agencies against spreading fake news.
In a statement, Ryan Rosauro, NUJP chair, said it was “disingenuous of Mr. Abella to address his appeal solely to – presumably private – media and not include the government’s own news outfits and, especially, the default ‘official sources’ in the civil and security establishments who have often been at loggerheads, making often contradictory pronouncement and, worst, deliberately spreading wrong or totally false information even before the start of the emergency that prompted the declaration of martial law over Mindanao.”
The statement came after Abella told media to stop the spread of “unverified or incomplete news items” on Marawi City and all ongoing current issues.
The Philippine News Agency recently published erroneous photo for its article “Urban warfare a challenge for soldiers in Marawi,” which used a photo taken during the Vietnam War.
Also recently, the PNA published an article on human rights situation in the Philippines with questionable details. The state-run agency later apologized.
The statement of NUJP on Tuesday came before the PNA issued its apology.
Rosauro also reminded Abella of the reported beheaded cop in Marawi who turned out to be alive.
These were the reasons why the NUJP found it “utterly despicable of Mr. Abella and AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla to warn of fake news and threaten censorship or even arrests – to do so is nothing but a bald threat against the freedom of the press and of free expression.”
“No, sirs, you have no call to tell us what or what not, when or when not, to report, especially not if the very government and institutions you serve, which we are obliged to treat as official sources, cannot even ensure the accuracy of the information your provide,” Rosauro added.
He said that the government should tighten its acts “and provide our people with information that is accurate verifiable instead of ‘such items that can be easily misinterpreted or sensationalized.’ –FM /atm