Military imposes stricter restrictions on media coverage of coup trial

Military authorities have imposed heavier restrictions against media practitioners covering the court-martial hearing of the 28 detained Scout Rangers and Marine officers facing trial in connection with their alleged attempt to unseat President Arroyo from power last year.

To make matters worse, the venue of the trial has been transferred from the more accessible Army Clubhouse of the 2nd Infantry Division to a hilly compound housing the training facility of Army recruits.

“The clubhouse is under renovation,” an officer explained, refusing requests from members of the media to see the place.

Reporters covering the trial observed that additional security measures were enforced on top of the already strict and tight security procedures against members of the press.

“It seems we are being harassed here,” noted a lady reporter.

Previous security measures involved the deployment of bomb sniffing dogs and the posting of tanks in all entrances leading to the Tanay Army headquarters.

Media practitioners covering the event have to bear with various security checks, including searches and issuance of tags, before they are allowed to proceed to the venue of the hearing.

“We try to adhere to the measures they are imposing, but why did they bring us here and lock us up in this building if there is no hearing?” she lamented.

In last Friday’s hearing, the press was not allowed inside the camp until after all members of different media outfits that would cover the hearing had arrived.

Reporters were barred from staying inside the media designated area inside the courtroom and were hauled to an adjacent building that serves as a media holding center during recess.

This security scheme totally blocked media interviews with the defense lawyers during breaks.

Photographers are also barred from the entire legal proceedings, remaining confined inside the press holding center before being allowed to take their photos inside the courtroom during an allotted period.

Photographers missed their chance to cover the commotion between a prosecution and a defense lawyer last Friday that almost led to a fistfight with even some of the accused officers joining in.

“I don’t know if they’re suspecting us as NPAs, terrorists, or coup plotters. We’re just here to cover the event,” a wire reporter could only say in disbelief.

She said that she is planning to bring the matter to the court to test the power of the military over the freedom of the press. Other members of the press agreed to her proposal.