DFA exec admits press folly

The spokesperson of the Department of Foreign Affairs admitted yesterday he mistakenly included the list of office equipment he was asking for his division to that of the Diplomatic Press Corps’ own requests.

Ambassador George Reyes told reporters he did not intend to use the press corps to the advantage of the Public Information Service Unit because there was only a mix up of memoranda.

Reyes said he has already submitted another memo to the Office of Secretary Domingo Siazon clarifying the matter.

"This is a storm in a tea cup. However, the reporters have reason to complain because PISU’s request for a VCR (cassette player), cassette recorders, lectern with microphone and sound system and world map were inadvertently in the memo enumerating the requirements of the DFA Press Corps," he said.

Reyes explained his memo was not "properly worded" thus creating an impression that the press corps was asking for too much office equipment which should not be given to them.

Reyes’s explanation ran counter to the contents of his own Oct. 4 memo that the press corps had a "wish list" submitted to PISU.

"The DFA Press Corps has conveyed to PISU a list of office equipment and supplies needed in Press Room at the Ground Floor. These are: four to five secondhand personal computers with printers, fax machine, television set, video cassette recorder, micro cassette recorder, cassette recorder with AM FM radio, TV, sofa," the letter read.

Reyes made the press corps look demanding and suggested that the reporters be given only two secondhand personal computers and printers, fax machine, television set and sofa.

"The undersigned believes that this wish list should be trimmed down to the bare minimum. The Secretary may wish to consider measures aimed at securing aforecited equipment which need not be first-hand," Reyes said.

The press corps denied requesting for such things since the members had contributed their own money to buy a small television set and that it asked only for two personal computers, fax machine and a cable tv service.