IT is strange, although expected, that the media would vehemently object to any bill that would give individuals who suffer from unbridled media attacks the right to respond. During my second term as a congressman, I was the first to file a bill seeking the right to be given space and airtime to reply to media attacks, but it was vigorously opposed by media groups, and my proposal failed to pass. Now, here is the Pimentel bill, which I understand already passed the Senate, which is raising the temperatures of the high and mighty in the media. I don’t know why the media want to stifle any form of dissent against their almost licentious use of newspaper pages and broadcast airtime to besmirch the reputations of individuals by opposing this proposed right-to-reply measure.

First, the media want to decriminalize the libel law, and when members of the media are charged with libel, they cry “harassment” or “violation of press freedom.” Now, the media want to kill the bill which would give hapless subjects of media attacks the right to defend themselves, which means that the media want absolute freedom to besmirch and insult innocent individuals, especially those in government, without any risk of legitimate retaliation. By granting individuals the right to reply to media attacks, justice becomes a two-way street.

During the French Revolution, the cry of many an innocent who suffered from unjust and whimsical persecution during those critical times was, “Oh, Liberty, how many crimes have been committed in thy name?” Today in the Philippines, where the media are so free and powerful, including media practitioners who are noted to “attack, collect and defend, collect,” one can get assassinated in newspapers or over radio and/or TV with no accountability on the part of the character assassins.

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I watched the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games showing team Air21 Express going down in defeat and three of their players thrown out of the game for extremely rough play. Air21 was defeated, which piqued its composure, by a newcomer team—Rain or Shine. Through their actions and body language, Air 21 players indicated they would rather wrestle in the octagon rather than play in the court, exemplifying not sportsmanship but their own style of kick-boxing with a splash of kung fu. The referees were correct in throwing some of their players out of the court but, perhaps, the PBA management should impose stronger sanctions against Air21’s overanxious players in their blatant disregard of the rules of the game and fair play.

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The Ombudsman ordered the suspension and/or dismissal of 30 Metro Manila policemen for various offenses. This action should be lauded because, it says in part, late in the day though it is, that we are moving hammer and thongs against rogue policemen who are the prime reason for the failure of the peace and order situation in many of our communities, as well as for the loss of confidence of the people in our police force. In view of this, I take this opportunity to again call the attention of Interior Secretary Ronnie Puno and Police chief Jess Verzosa, regarding my strong recommendation that abusive rogue Iloilo City policemen should be relieved and sent post-haste to the battle zones in Mindanao so that we will be rid of these cops who are protectors of drug lords and crime syndicates. I communicated this outcry of my fellow Ilonggos to Secretary Puno some three months earlier, as well as to then-Police Chief Avelino Razon but until now, not one rogue policeman has been relieved in Iloilo City. In fact, one of these notorious policemen had the gall to file a case against me for standing up to their abuses in behalf of my beloved city. When will I see a satisfactory response from the DILG and the PNP? The ball is in your court and the people of Iloilo City await your speedy action.

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This column observed earlier the sudden liquidity of the Yuchengco Group when it announced its intention to buy Philamlife when all the time this company that owns Pacific Plans is saying to its preneed plan- holders that it has no money to pay the poor parents who toiled day and night to provide for and ensure the college education of their children. Now that blue-chip Philamlife is on the block, the Yuchengcos indicated they have the money to buy out the insurance company. But no, said Pacific Plan policyholders, who are badgering the Yuchengcos to show some corporate responsibility by paying their debts first before going on a shopping spree. I believe this boils down to having a bit of decency in our business dealings, not because business is purely impersonal as money but more so because of the humane aspect involved.

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The British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) TV skit Harry and Paul deserves the condemnation of Filipinos for depicting Filipino domestic helpers abroad as nothing but toys and puppets to their employers who exploit, humiliate and abuse our compatriots according to the whims of their foreign masters. We urge Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo to lodge a diplomatic complaint with the British ambassador and seek an apology from BBC. The skit is revolting and purely racist and contrary to our cordial relationship with Britain.

On the other hand, we, too, are partly to blame. We love to ridicule ourselves, our government, our country, and boast of our inequities to the whole world in the front pages of newspapers and in broadcast media. As the Italian ambassador once pointed out to me, we love to flagellate ourselves and throw muck at our president and our leaders. If we are perceived to be like dirt abroad, it’s because we insist to be treated like dirt. It is time that we come to realize that our country is now getting the accolades of other nations because we remain economically strong despite the financial turmoil now rocking the Caucasian world. It is time to keep our heads high!

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