GMA lifts state of emergency; ABC 5 releases position on media clampdown

From Yahoo News:

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lifted a week-old state of emergency on Friday, after her security advisers assured her that the threat of a coup has eased.

Shortly before Arroyo made the annnouncement in a nationally televised address, two explosions hit near a police station and a shopping complex in a Manila suburb, but police said no one was hurt.

"I am happy to report that we have dismantled the sabotage efforts," Arroyo said. "I strongly believe that law and order has returned."

Arroyo declared the emergency last Friday to quash a coup plot allegedly involving disgruntled soldiers, communist rebels and civilian backers. On Thursday, the defense, justice and police chiefs said they would recommend lifting the decree because the situation was normalizing.

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Check out similar reports from Inq7 and ABS-CBN News. Pres. Arroyo made the announcement at around 11:30 this morning.

In a later interview in ANC, former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos said he was "gratified" for lifting the state of emergency.

My reaction? Well, it's good to know that the controversial declaration made by Arroyo last week was lifted. But I wonder: How much "chilling" effect did we get from that declaration, even though it has been lifted today? I can't forget the recent incidents on the media following Arroyo's PP 1017 -- the Tribune raid, the hacking of the website of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, and the cancellation of Kata Innocencio's public affairs show Diyos at Bayan (which I only learned upon watching the Probe last night).

True, the state of national emergency has been lifted, but how can we be sure that there will be no more threats to or attacks against media organizations and journalists here in the country?

While we ponder about it, here is a statement from ABC 5 on the media situation in the country. Got this from ABC 5 reporter Jove Francisco in his blog post.

ABC 5 News and Public Affairs: A statement

Nuong Setyembre 21, 1972 … idineklara ang Martial Law… ipinasara ni Ferdinand Marcos ang ABC.

Dalawang dekadang pinatahimik ang isa sa pinaka-maimpluwensiyang istasyon nuon ng telebisyon.

Kaya nang muling magbukas ang ABC-5 nuong 1992… sinikap ng ABC News and Public Affairs na ihatid sa inyo ang balita, nang walang labis, walang kulang, nang walang takot at walang kulay.

Trabaho naming na maghatid sa inyo ng impormasyon.

Impormasyon na kailangan ninyo, para makagawa ng mga intelihenteng desisyon, maging sa larangan ng pulitika, ekonomiya, lipunan at sa personal na buhay.

Obligasyon naming ang maging patas at walang kinikilingan. Responsable at walang takot.

Kaya’t nababahala ang ABC News and Public Affairs sa mga babala ng pamahalaan sa media nitong mga nakaraang araw.

Tungkulin ng media ang maging responsible.

Obligasyon naman ng pamahalaan na tiyakin na walang manggigipit sa malayang pamamahayag.

Kung mayruon mang tiwali sa panig ng media, may sapat naming batas para dalhin sila sa hukuman.

Pero walang batas na nagsasabing pwedeng idikta ng pamahalaan sa media kung ano ang mga balitang dapat ilabas, at kung ano ang hindi.

Kung kaya’t, ipagpapatuloy ng ABC News and Public Affairs ang patas at makabuluhang pamamahayag.

Ihahatid pa rin naming ang balita nang walang takot at walang kulay.

Hindi maaring idikta ng pamahalaan, lalu na ng Philippine National Police o anumang ahensya ng gobyerno, kung ano ang dapat ibalita ng isang dyaryo o radio o telebisyon at maging sa internet.

Dahil pagdating sa pamamahayag…

Wala silang sapat na kaalaman…

At ayon na rin sa saligang batas….

Wala silang karapatang maki-alam.