Media groups assail military profiling of journalists in Mindanao

Military media profiling document.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 9, 2008) – After harassing a radio reporter in Mindanao, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) now wanted all journalists covering a major military base in the troubled region to submit their photographs and a detailed personal profile.

The military would also countercheck and verify all information about the journalists covering the Western Mindanao Command headquarters in Zamboanga City.

The military said all personal information of the journalists is needed to update their data base.

“The CIO WestMinCom reserves the right to countercheck and verify the entries made herein and to cancel accreditation should false data be discovered. This accreditation is only valid for the purpose of covering WestMinCom activities and other related events,” according to the instructions of the military form given to journalists in Zamboanga City.

CIO refers to the Command Information Office of the Western Mindanao Command, where US military forces are also encamped.

The military also obligated journalists to sign a waiver that reads: “I hereby waive all my legal rights/claims against the AFP for any accident, loss or any untoward incident that may occur while covering the AFP activities.”

But below the waiver, it reads: I am executing this waiver on my own free will and volition.”

The military wanted journalists to submit even their social security and tax number, identification marks on the body, colors of hair and eyes, and even the type of blood and names and addresses of kin and their phone numbers, e-mail addresses and religious affiliation.

The Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi chapters of the independent National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and members of the local media strongly criticized the military’s media profiling.

“NUJP ZamBaSulTa sees it as further intrusion on privacy even if reporters' background is already public knowledge. NUJP sees the policy as a subtle form of harassment as bio-data is a basis to issue defense press card, wherein press identification card is already enough,” it said in a statement released on Sunday.

Press editors and media personalities in Manila also questioned the military’s profiling of journalists in Mindanao. It was the second time the military in Zamboanga City tried, but failed to impose media profiling the past decade.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is also dismayed at the ongoing disrespect shown towards journalists and press freedom in the Philippines after receiving new reports of bullying by government officials and threatening text messages.

"For there to be any hope of securing press freedom in the Philippines, there must be systemic attitude change, from the government and army to members of the general public, towards journalists and their rights to practice their craft without suffering constant verbal and physical abuse," it said.

“The IFJ joins the NUJP in standing in solidarity with our colleagues in the Philippines in their courageous work, and reminds all journalists and media institutions that at such a dangerous time for media workers in the Philippines, personal safety must be protected zealously.”

And all these were required to journalists after different media groups in Mindanao criticized Lt. Col. John Oswald Bucu, camp commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao province, for berating a radio reporter, Loreto Rosario, while covering a fire that razed an ammo dump inside the base on October 31.

The officer also seized Rosario's cellular phones and brought him at the camp's public information office where Bucu continued to lambaste the journalist in front of soldiers.

Other journalists covering the fire were also prevented from getting near the ammo dump even after the blaze was over. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has already demanded the military to discipline Bucu.

Bucu accused Rosario, who is working for the Catholic radio station dxMS in Cotabato City, of intruding inside the camp, an accusation strongly denied by the reporter.

Journalists in Cotabato City have already boycotted coverage of the army division headquarters and demanded that relief of Bucu. "The NUJP is demanding that the AFP impose strong sanctions against Bucu for his clear assault on press freedom," the media organization said in a statement.

Maj. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, 6th Infantry Division commander, has not responded to the NUJP demand, but journalists vowed to bring this to the attention of Defense Secy. Gilberto Teodoro and Philippine Army Chief Gen. Victor Ibrado.

Ibrado has already ordered an investigation into the NUJP complaints against Bucu, according to Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, the Philippine Army spokesman. "General Victor Ibrado has already ordered General (Raymundo) Ferrer to conduct an investigation on the matter," Brawner said.

Brawner said the embattled army officer insisted he was just protecting Rosario who was trying to get near the burning ammo dump.

Rosario said Bucu has apologized to him on Friday, one week after the incident. “He has apologized to me and I accepted his apology. The NUJP will issue a statement about this,” he said.

The NUJP said Rosario's case was not the first time that Bucu has targeted journalists.

Two years ago, at a gathering of reporters at the headquarters of the Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade in North Cotabato, Bucu allegedly branded NUJP Kidapawan City chapter president Malu Manar a member of the communist rebel group New People's Army. Manar is the program director of the Catholic radio station dxND in North Cotabato. (Mindanao Examiner)