Left Flank

As usual I come to these Filipino stories too late to do much more than jump up and down and point out provocative issues. But, the account of Ces Drilon's capture, and the civil liberties issue surrounding the embargo on the reporting of the incident right after, followed by Manila's breaking of that embargo, has the makings of a legal and political precedent and a very compelling, human story.

My own understanding is that is that it was the government station, NBN-4, and not the wire services that broke the story. It was the government that forced an end to the embargo by reporting the kidnapping of Ces Drilon and Co. on its Monday evening news program. Since news on a government station has an official nature to it, it's logical to assume that it was then that the wire services, which I understand had been unable to obtain a statement from ABS-CBN up to that point, could run with the story.

So let me say first of all that government appeals for «restraint» are pure, unadulterated bullshit. You have a rare instance where media exercised prudence (not altogether altruistically, as I'll explore in a bit) but government, always eager to appeal for «restraint,» jumped the gun… The reasons for this could range from malicious glee (no love lost either for the network or Drilon on the part of officialdom) to a general interest in beating the war drums in Mindanao to provide a distraction for economic issues and expand the President's political and military (one and the same) options.

Still, for a time, an embargo was asked for, and respected, while ABS-CBN tried to downplay the story. This explains the befuddlement experienced by bloggers...

With all respect to Ms. Drilon and Dr. Octavio Dinampo (and their quick, safe release), Filipino blogs keep me going like none other.

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