BALANGA CITY – Sen. Grace Poe on Thursday afternoon said that she was surprised to learn during their committee hearing on media killings that media have “somewhat a red tag” from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Nakababahala ang kuwento ng National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) na sa isang presentation ng AFP parang may red tag ang media, parang enemy of the state,” the senator said.
Poe chairs the Senate Committee on Information and Mass Media.
“Sabi ko tanggalin yan. Ang media kapartner sa enforcement ng transparency ng government. Ang media hindi kalaban ng gobyerno. Kung ganoon ang posisyon, parang pinapatay ang democracy,” Poe said.
She said she will meet with officials of the AFP next week to clear the matter and remove the tag.
The senator also questioned why the task force for the protection of media was under the Office of the President.
“Ok naman ang Usec, parang masipag at matino. Pero, dapat sana independent body. Mahirap kung sa Office of the President. Dapat may miyembro ng media, academe para fair,” she said.
She said that there were still many unresolved cases on media killing for lack of witnesses. Poe was in Bataan and distributed relief goods to victims of heavy flooding last month in Balanga City and the towns of Abucay and Hermosa.
While in the province, she expressed her views on the plan of the Metro Manila Development Authority to ban single-passenger cars from EDSA during rush hour, budget of the Presidential Communications Office and federalism.
“Huwag padalos-dalos. Conduct more studies, experiment muna. Alisin muna bara sa gilid ng kalsada,” she said on the MMDA plan.
On the budget of the PCOO, Poe said “Masama ang loob ko. Ibinaba ang budget ng Department of Agriculture at Department of Health. Bakit ang importanteng ahensiya babawasan tapos dadagdagan ang ibang ahensiya tulad ng PCOO.”
She said that PCOO is important but that no one will die if its news will not be heard.
“Mas malapit sa tiyan ang isyu sa DA,” the senator said.
She expressed doubt on federalism although she said President Rodrigo Duterte may have good intention.
“Ang America dati hiwa-hiwalay kaya nagkaroon ng federal form of government. Tayo united na tapos maghihiwalay tayo, magkakaroon ng sari-sariling regulasyon bawat rehiyon. Parang kanya-kanyang kaharian,” she said.
