‘Protocol needed for media covering crisis situation’
Director Janet Mesa of the Philippine Information Agency 6 said the media, government and other sectors should sit down to a dialogue and come up with a protocol for media coverage when covering a crisis situation.
Mesa was asked by reporters if media violated rules and procedures in a coverage of a crisis situation. Mesa said that “it is not a question of violation, but it is a question of better judgment because when covering an event, (the media’s job) is not only to tell people what is happening in the exercise of press freedom, but this must be balanced with other security and national concerns”.
She said it is counterproductive to hurl the blame to anyone at this time, as there were lapses on different sides, and it would be better to move forward and learn a lesson from what had just transpired so that it will not happen again.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said the delegation composed of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo will be sent by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to the People’s Republic of China to officially explain what transpired during the hostage taking last Monday.
In a press briefing, the President said the delegation is making the necessary arrangements with the Chinese embassy and will proceed to Beijing to officially send a report to President Hu Jintao.
The delegation will then proceed to Hong Kong to have a dialogue with the Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region, Donald Tsang.
Aquino said he understands the anger of the people of Hong Kong because of the incident and asked for their understanding. He said the government is already correcting the deficiencies in the implementation of operating procedures during the hostage taking.*PIA
