The fierce struggle between the military and media was intense during the martial rule of the Marcoses, when voices of dissent and criticism against the powers-that-be and the Marcos minions were silenced by incarceration if not by the barrel of the gun, or a slew of libel cases.
After EDSA I, during the administrations after Marcos, the press had not been spared of blistering reprimands for its exposes and savage reporting of misdeeds of government officials. Not that the press had been, or is, the paragon of virtue, honesty, accuracy and objectivity, or free of charges of sensationalism and untruths and half-truths. Truth to tell, the Philippine media industry needs policing and reforms, but its accomplishments have also been tremendous, among which is its revelations of anomalies in government and private places, leading to the conviction and imprisonment, and firing of culprits. In the recent days, media has not let up on its role as investigator and commentator on events involving the media, e.g. the Oakwood mutiny where young military officials aired their complaints about the sins of the nation’s leaders and within the military establishment. The coverage of the supposed misdeeds of Gen. Carlos Garcia has been, if it’s truthful, cruel, and damaging to the image of the military.
The bad image of the military has lately been exacerbated by the production, and showing of the video, Know Your Enemies, which links certain non-government organizations to the left.
I suppose that if the military had its way, no such coverage of misdeeds – not only in the armed forces, but in the whole of government – would be allowed as such coverage would only lead to destabilization, and hinder the government’s economic progress. It is pointed out that the success of Singapore and Malaysia has been due to the cooperation between the government and media, with media only reporting the good news, not too much of the bad, and only of positive things, and very little, if at all, of the negatives.
The appearance of military officers in charge of communications and information services in the armed forces during last Tuesday’s Bulong Pulungan sa Westin Philippine Plaza, talked about the efforts being made by the military to win the peace with media as well as other protagonists. I must say, the officers, led by Brig. Gen. Angel Honrado, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman, were quite successful in putting across the urgent need for cooperation between the media and the military.
The forum was free-wheeling, and General Honrado, Commander of the Civil Relations Service, AFP, answered them like a real public relations practitioner, knowing when to dodge and be serious and charming.
On the question of air-worthiness of the Huey helicopters that are being used by the AFP – one of which crashed last week, causing the death of volcanologist Ronald Punongbayan and several other scientists – the general said if pilots fly the Hueys, they are convinced of the air-worthiness of the aircraft. He himself had flown the same Hueys for years. He said, people ask why buy Hueys that cost $100 million, when that money can be used to feed the hungry and build school houses and bridges? But they are necessary components of military service, he said.
Col. Pascual Buenaventura, head of the 10-man Special Operation Team, answering questions on the strategy being used by leftists, said the National People’s Army-Communist Party of the Philippines, go to the countryside to convince people over to their side, not by flaunting the name "communist," but by bringing up issues. The recruiters, he said, call the CPP-NPA struggle "national democratic revolution. They do not talk about communism."
Answering the question on whether foreign aid is enough to guarantee development in Mindanao which was asked by Saeed A. Daof, director general of the Center for the Promotion of Peace and Development in Mindanao, General Honrado said that aid is not enough, but that there is need for 100 percent cooperation between government and citizens’ efforts to have peace and development in Mindanao. "Once we have a peace accord, we will have development," he said.
Aid money has not always been used judiciously, said Colonel Buenaventura. During the time of President Fidel Ramos, he said, there was a lot of money going to the southern region, but the money went to the pockets of individual persons. In Tawi-Tawi, however, because of faithful monitoring, and with the presence of the Americans, money was put into planned projects that became successful.
For his part, General Honrado said, "Development in Mindanao will come from the hearts of Mindanaoans, not through dole-outs or mendicancy. Aid should be used as a tool for development, it is not development by itself."
Buenaventura said, "We have to realize the JI exists," he said, but the problem is that it takes only one terrorist to do damage. And the terrorists like it – they are exposed to the media, to television, and the people are afraid of them.
When it comes to dodging questions, General Honrado said, those are topics for another Bulong Pulungan – questions such as on how insidiously media affects military operations.
The general has a bachelor’s degree from Ateneo de Manila University, and a masters in management from Philippine Christian University. After graduating from the PAF Flying school in 1976, he was assigned with the 205th Airlift Wing as a helicopter pilot and designated as squadron commander of the 207th Tactical Helicopter Squadron in 1983. Among positions he held was as commanding officer of the Presidential Escort, Presidential Security Group. He became brigadier general, AFP, in February last year. He has won several medals – Service Star, Gold Cross, Bronze Cross, two Outstanding Achievement Medals, military merit medals and military commendation medals.