The spate of extra-judicial killings that victimized mostly journalists and leftist militants has elicited certain cogent observations and a number of questions.
Observers noted it is easy to understand why leftists are being gunned down either by their own comrades as is the practice in cases of internal purges, or by state agents, but why the journalists? Were the victims so far really genuine media practitioners or not?
In a message read for him at the recently concluded Cotabato Media Summit in Kidapawan City by Chief Supt. Gerry Doria, Philippine National Police Central Mindanao regional director, PNP Director – General Oscar Calderon noted that of the 24 reported media killings the Police have probed so far, 21 of them did not belong to any organized media groups.
Of the 21, seventeen (17) were radio block-timers or persons who buy radio time for their programs, mostly political commentaries with politicians or political characters at the receiving end of heir tirades. The question thus posed is: Are they genuine journalists?
This observation does not, by any measure, justify their murders. Murder, in any language and under any circumstance, is a violent and heinous crime and cannot be condoned in a civilized society.
Yet the question persists. Are the victims legitimate media practitioners? Did they adhere to the stringent Journalist Code of Ethics genuine journalists impose upon themselves voluntarily in the practice of their profession? Or are they so "haoshiaos" and crass in their commentaries that they earned the ire of the people at the receiving end of their tirades who engineered their summary executions?
Genuine and professional journalists are familiar with their code of ethics which is phrased in the first person for purpose of emphasis. Pseudo – journalists and non-journalists may not, however, be familiar with it.
To acquaint readers with what this code says and provide an insight into the possible motives behind media killings, we are reprinting the code hereunder:
The Journalist’s Code of Ethics
I. I shall scrupulously report and interpret the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts nor to distort the truth by omission or improper emphasis. I recognize the duty to air the other side and to correct substantive errors promptly.
II. I shall not violate confidential information or material given me in the exercise of my calling;
III. I shall resort only to fair and honest methods in my effort to obtain news, photographs and/or documents, and shall properly identify myself as a representative of the press when obtaining any personal interview intended for publication.
IV. I shall refrain from writing reports which shall adversely affect private reputation unless the public interest justifies it. At the same time, I shall fight vigorously for public access to information.
V. I shall not let personal motives or interest to influence me in the performance of my duties, nor shall I accept or offer any present, gift or other consideration of a nature that may cast doubt on my personal integrity.
VI. I shall not commit any act of plagiarism.
VII. I shall not, in any manner, ridicule, cast aspersion on or degrade anyone by reason of sex, creed, religious belief, political conviction as well as cultural and ethnic origin.
VIII. I shall presume persons accused of crime as innocent until proven otherwise. I shall exercise caution in publishing names of minors and women involved in criminal cases so they may not unjustly lose their standing in society.
IX. I shall not take unfair advantage of a fellow journalist.
X. I shall accept only such tasks as are compatible with the integrity and dignity of my profession, invoking the conscience clause when duties imposed on me conflict with the voice of my conscience.
XI. I shall properly comport myself in public or while performing my duties as a journalists in such a manner as to maintain the dignity of my profession. When in doubt, decency shall be my watch word. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
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