MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 10, 2007)- They say greed and money poison the mind, then the heart is also corrupted. An article published by one of the Philippines' oldest and most respected daily, The Manila Times, tells a story of how journalists in Olongapo City accused each other of corruption.
And this happens everywhere in the country, where many journalists fall victims to corruption and illegal activities and all because of dirty money.
Here is the Manila Times story written by correspondent Anthony Bayarong.
OLONGAPO CITY: Journalists here denounced the allegations of a tabloid correspondent accusing them of protecting an illegal gambling or peryahan at the Subic Bay Freeport and in this city.
The allegations appeared in People’s Journal on November 2, 4 and 5, written by Johnny Reblando who is also an RMN news correspondent. He alleged that members of the press covering Subic Bay Freeport provide operators of illegal gambling an ample protection.
Members of the Subic Bay Press Corps (SBPC) said they are concerned about the allegations because the group is the biggest organization of correspondents, with more than 40 members in its roster.
The SBPC has repeatedly asked Reblando to name the alleged media protectors, but he declined, saying, “Kung sino ang pumiyok, guilty [Whoever reacts would be guilty].”
By declining to name names or provide convincing evidence, Reblando made suspects out of all media practitioners, which is wrong, unfair, unethical and unacceptable, maintained the SBPC statement.
According to SBPC, amusement center owner Avelino Menor, in a sworn statement dated November 6, said Reblando harassed him for P20,000.
Menor added that he had been giving Reblando money for “merienda and cell-phone loads” since 2005 which, if proven true, would be contrary to ethical standards of a journalist.
In his sworn statement, Menor said that he had given Reblando P10,000 on October 14 and that the next payment would be on the 15th of November, but Reblando allegedly called Menor on October 30 asking for the remaining balance of P10,000. When Menor could not produce the money, Reblando went ahead with his exposé on illegal gambling at the Subic Freeport and the city.
The sequence of events, as described by Menor, is a classic extortion scheme known to media practitioners as “attack and collect/defend and collect” (AC/DC).
The SBPC is investigating the matter although journalists here urged the Journal Group, RMN Manila and the National Press Corps to initiate its own investigation. (Mindanao Examiner)
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