IIRC: Radio interview with Mendoza breached media ethics

Radio station DZXL, a station of Radio Mo Network (RMN), had breached ethical standards of journalists during its coverage of the August 23 Manila hostage tragedy that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead, an investigation report on the incident said. “The contact by Michael Rogas and/or DZXL of the Hostage Taker, his engagement in a continuing ‘interview,’ and the manner by which this was undertaken, was a breach of the ethical guidelines governing journalists covering a hostage taking crisis situation, potentially endangered lives, and interfered and/or derailed the efforts of authorities to resolve the crisis," part of the 83-page report prepared by the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) read. The interview, done on the most critical moment of the 11-hour standoff, blocked the negotiators’ efforts to stop the hostage-taker, dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza, from shooting his hostages, the IIRC said. The committee allotted a considerable portion of the report on the media’s role in the hostage-taking incident. It raised the following points where the media may have crossed the line during the coverage:

• The airing of footage of sniper positions and the assault by the SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team, and the subsequent augmentation of the Metro Manila police's Special Action Force (SAF);
• The live coverage of the arrest of the Mendoza's brother, SPO2 Gregorio Mendoza; and
• Radyo Mo Nationwide (RMN) station or DZXL anchor Michael Rogas’ interview with Mendoza in the critical points.

Three television networks — ABS-CBN, TV5 and GMA-7 — were recommended to face charges in connection with the tragedy. GMA Network has already released new guidelines for crisis coverage — which include avoiding interviewing or even talking to hostage-takers, and ensuring that the movements of law enforcers will not be revealed during the live coverage — following the August 23 hostage-taking incident. Former Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., counsel for DZXL/RMN, said there is no basis to hold media responsible for the bloody outcome of the hostage-taking incident, noting that the reporters involved were only "doing their job" of covering the crisis. "You saw what happened. Nine hours passed without authorities doing anything to deal with the hostage-taker. After nine hours RMN called Mendoza and Mendoza answered the call," said Pimentel in Filipino on Tuesday. August 23, crucial hour During the crucial hours leading to Mendoza’s shooting rampage, he became agitated when he monitored, through a television set mounted inside the hijacked tourist bus, the position of the SWAT team at the Quirino Grandstand. “Nakikita ko ang daming SWAT na dumarating, nakikita ko sa palibot, alam ko na papatayin din nila ako. Anytime gagawin ko rin yun dito (I see a lot of SWAT men approaching, I see them all around. I know they are going to kill me. Anytime I'm also going to do the same here)," the report quoted Mendoza as telling Rogas during the interview. Mendoza, who was seeking reinstatement to the police force, started his shooting rampage when he saw on television that his brother was being arrested by Manila policemen. At that time, he was still talking to Rogas and TV5’s Erwin Tulfo, who tried to appease him by telling him that the police is already being contacted. Unfortunately, Tulfo never reached the Manila Police District (MPD) head Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay, the ground commander during the assault who, at that time, was at the Emerald Restaurant with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, the head of the local crisis management committee. (Read a partial transcript of the DZXL/RMN interview here.) What went wrong Throughout the interview, Rogas was heard telling Mendoza that he can air his grievances because “the interview is heard by the whole country... heard by the whole world." Even when Mendoza’s anger was already evident, Rogas kept telling him, “Ano po ang plano ninyo (What's your plan, sir)?" according to the IIRC report. In its report, the IIRC said journalists, untrained to handle hostage situations, should not act as negotiators without authority from the ground commander. The committee also said Rogas and Tulfo, who were still speaking with Mendoza when he started shooting his hostages, were placed in a position where they had to make a judgment that is not part of their journalistic duties. “During the time that (Mendoza) was shouting that he will shoot the hostages and giving deadlines for the police to release his brother, Michael Rogas and Erwin Tulfo found themselves a ‘part of the events’ that unfolded as they tried, in person (in the case of Tulfo) and on the air, to get police authorities to respond to the threats of (Mendoza)," the panel’s report said. “Tulfo was even cursing police authorities for apparently not giving their pleas attention. The involvement in the incident, other than in a detached and objective coverage, is a breach of the ethics of journalism," said the IIRC. Gains in negotiations lost The IIRC also said that RMN's move could have derailed efforts of the negotiators to prevent tragedy. “The hostage taker could become distracted. Gains in the negotiating process could be lost. In particular, the introduction of an alternative person to communicate with, other than the hostage negotiator, diminishes the dependence of the hostage taker on the hostage negotiator," said the committee. The panel added that because Rogas simultaneously engaged Mendoza and insisted that the communication line be open, “the hostage-taker was clearly distracted and found an alternative means to voice his objections to the letter." The letter was from the Office of the Ombudsman, which vowed to review Mendoza’s case pending before it. Mendoza had rejected the letter. “The continuous engagement by Rogas of (Mendoza) in an interview during this critical moment deprived the hostage negotiator of the opportunity to communicate with (Mendoza). The criticality of the situation was compounded when the incident involving the arrest of Gregorio Mendoza was taking place and seen by (Mendoza) on television while still engaged with Rogas," the IIRC said. - KBK, GMANews.TV