Journalism Review Archives | Page 111 of 161

Reporting the Surigao Quake: Coping with the Aftermath, Preparing for the “Big One”

IN THE Philippines, tremors happen almost every day; many occurring without notice except by the agencies and experts involved. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) the country experienced 467 “seismic events” in first two months of 2017 before the 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit Surigao...

Erring Cops in Malacañang: Miscommunication Between Commander-in-Chief and PNP

JEERS TO the media for failing to point out the seeming disconnect between President Rodrigo Duterte and the Philippine National Police (PNP) authorities on the erring cops who were presented to the president in Malacañang. The kidnap-murder of the Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo in October 2016 –...

Behind the Scenes: Korean Mafia in the Philippines?

THE KIDNAP and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo unmasked the corruption and criminality within the ranks of the Philippine National Police (PNP), prompting President Duterte to dissolve the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) and to halt drug-related operations of the police, which are now assigned to...

Collapse of Peace Talks: Voices for Peace

SO SWEET to begin with, how did it turn sour so soon? The prospects for peace on this front had never seemed brighter, given the initiatives made by President Rodrigo Duterte to welcome the communists to the negotiating table. No other president seemed as open to the Left than...

Caught in a Tight Spot: “Tokhang for Ransom” and Kidnap-slay Controversy

“THIS IS your police… We serve and protect,” says the message on a wall by the gate of Camp Crame, the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) headquarters along Edsa in Quezon City. But what if the protector becomes the assailant—which seems to be the situation for the national police...

Reporting Project NOAH’s Contribution to Effective Disaster Response

CHEERS TO Rappler for a piece enumerating contributions of Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) in disaster management in light of the recent news of its impending closure of due to lack of funding. Rappler’s “How does Project NOAH contribute to PH’s disaster management?” recounted the important...

Mamasapano, Two Years On: Painting a Murky Picture

PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE first floated the idea of reopening the investigation of the 2015 Mamasapano clash last October 2016, when he said it was “not really to prosecute people but just to know what happened”. At the time, he also wanted to know who took home the $5...

Misinterpreting Statements

JEERS TO the Manila Bulletin for misrepresenting the European Union’s (EU) planned shift of its funding focus in the Philippine health sector to programs addressing illegal drug use. The headline by the Bulletin’s January 17 banner story, “EU backs war on drugs,” suggested an about-face on the part...

Guns and Gaffes: Finding the Story in the Data

CHEERS TO The Philippine Star for catching a strange “coincidence” in the serial numbers of guns seized in separate encounters in Quezon City. Analyzing data obtained from police spot reports, public press releases and police blotters, the Star reported that the serial numbers of 29 out of 300...

Media Follow Up Derailed

THE NARRATIVE has moved from just the count of casualties and numbers killed. Media have gone into the lives of victims, humanizing the cases listed in police reports. Reports have also recorded the protest of church and civil society leaders, and individuals calling for an end to the...