AFP restricts media access in HQ

Barely 24 hours before the yearly World Press Freedom Day celebration took place on May 2, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) released a memorandum imposing restrictions on reporters’ access inside the military’s general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

In an order announced by AFP-Public Information Office chief Col. Tristan Kison, only media representatives with the accredited Public Information Office-Defense Press Corps (PIO-DPC) identification cards will be allowed inside the camp on days when there are no scheduled press conferences or media advisory.

“All areas inside camp other than the immediate vicinity of the DPC, PIO-AFP, or the (headquarter’s) grandstand area are off limits to media,” said Kison.

The one-page memorandum was issued last April 20, the same day the Supreme Court junked Executive Order 464. According to the High Court, the said order – which prevented Cabinet and line agency officials from attending congressional inquiries without President Arroyo’s consent – is unconstitutional.

AFP claimed that the memorandum was released after the Labor Day tensions on May 1, to apparently reduce the alert level status (raised for fears of terrorist attacks during the said holiday) in Metro Manila.

According to Kison, it is mandatory for journalists, particularly military beat reporters, to proceed directly to the DPC-PIO upon authorized entry.

Prior to this, Camp Aguinaldo has been issuing IDs to the media on a yearly basis. Reporters who wanted to enter the camp only needed to show their media IDs.

With the new memo, reporters are required to abide by the following: obtain a written authorization and a copy of the media advisory from the PIO, and be accompanied by PIO personnel.

Those who fail to follow the requirements will be promptly ushered by the Military Police back to the PIO.

Officers and members of the DPC have detested this latest media muzzling from the military.

“This is blatant curtailment of access to information,” said Joy Cantos, former DPC president and current DPC vice president for print.

Cantos pointed out that the PIO should have first conducted a dialogue with the other members of the corps before pushing through with the order. “I know our limitations when it comes to access to information. But going to the extent of seeking clearance from the PIO, that’s absurd,” Cantos said. ###

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