'Rotten tomatoes' in media and jueteng etc

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

President Aquino has accused some members of the media “rotten tomatoes” for reporting on his latest dates, his knowledge of computer games, and his belief in Santa Claus.

The President said he gets irritated by some members of the media “who have forgotten that their main responsibility is to expose truth and not just guess or concoct news.”

The President stressed this point in his speech during the 37th conference of the KapisananngmgaBrodkasterngPilipinasat the Clark Freeport in Pampanga Nov. 9.

“Yes, there are times when the public prefers exaggerated news and juicy details – on who is my latest date, how I knew the meaning of DOTA (computer game), if I believe in Santa Claus,” he said.“I admit that these just make me smile. Perhaps this is how our culture is.”

Aquino hit “rotten tomatoes” in the media and called on the KBP and other media entities to guard their ranks.“Filipinos were victorious in restoring democracy in our country (from the Marcos dictatorship) and since then, the KBP has been unrelenting in ensuring that Juan de la Cruz would never again be kept in ignorance and fed with lies.”

“Yet, we must admit that the media industry is not perfect and like any other institutions with power and influence, also has rotten tomatoes which unfortunately have mixed with the rest,” he said.
***
Aquino described these “rotten tomatoes” as “those who extort in exchange for savory headlines, those who twist news to favor a few, those who spread baseless gossips and lies just to divert the focus of the people away from the truth.”

“If truth and concern for the country is the measure of public service, then careful scrutiny for details and credibility must be the measure for your profession,” he said.

Everything P-Noy said is true. But then, it should be the government which should start first being the model of things good and uncorrupted.Newsmen usually don’t write or talk about certain issues if they don’t smell something rotten about these. It is bad news that sells and where there is smoke, there is fire, as an old adage goes.

And bad news, it turns out, are usually true like those on corruption and unsavory lifestyles of those in government.
***
Take the case of jueteng. Why can’t P-Noy categorically order those in government particularly the Philippine National Police and utter these magic words: “Stop jueteng or lose your job” or to whoever is responsible like the Department of Interior and Local Government in stopping the menace.

If he will do this, my bubwit says, the illegal numbers game will suddenly and magically stop. Believe me when I say this, my bubwit adds.

A know a police official, who said he really wanted to stop jueteng in his turf. He admitted he, “felt the heat from higher ups,” those who wanted him to go slow on his antigambling drive.

During the time of Sen. PanfiloLacson as PNP chief, jueteng stopped as he made sure it would stop. Can’t new PNP chief NicanorBartolome do the same? My bubwit says, he doubts, unless P-Noy shows and tells him he is dead serious in stopping the favorite game of the masa of this blighted republic.

To date, P-Noy never made a dramatic order like “Patigilin and wangwang” to highlight his seriousness in stopping the illegal numbers game – reason why corrupt PNP officials and those in other government posts are still enjoying happy days, raking in millions of protection money, according to informants.
***
And why is the controversial Puno’tDulo, who had been linked to jueteng still holding this top Department of Interior and Local Government post?

Media members have admitted some of them belong to this “protection mafia” – the “rotten tomatoes” according to P-Noy.But then, there would be no “rotten tomatoes” in the media who accept payola to maintain their silence over illegal gambling ifthere is no jueteng in the first place.
***
Government officials like P-Noy have all the right to accuse people particularly the media of being “rotten tomatoes,” but they should know that if they can dish it out, they should know how to take it.After all, people are supposed to be presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The silence of those in government and even the media on the prevalence of jueteng, for one, is testimony that “rotten tomatoes,” no matter how smelly and unsavory, are sweet to those who partake of the forbidden fruit.