Councilor reminds about journalism tenets in wake of false info spread during KOJC standoff

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 September) – A councilor here has reminded journalists to practice the highest tenets of journalism as he noted that “false information had been disseminated” during the 16-day police operations to arrest wanted preacher Pastor Apollo Quiboloy at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound.

In his privilege speech on Tuesday, First District Councilor Bonz Andre A. Militar, chairperson of the Committee on Information and Technology, urged journalists from mainstream and online media, including social media influencers, to “recommit to the highest standards of journalistic integrity.”

He reminded them that misinformation and disinformation are dangerous and could only breed fear, create panic, and will only confuse people.

Militar emphasized the importance of accurate, fair, and truthful reporting, and the responsible sharing of information as he noted that media coverage on the events that transpired during the 16-day police operations left “many Dabawenyos confused, anxious, and, at times, misinformed” amid the spread of unverified and conflicting reports.

“At the heart of responsible journalism lies an important principle – news must not be tailored to fit the interests of any individual or group. It must serve only one purpose: to present the bare truth. No matter how inconvenient or uncomfortable it may be,” he said.

Militar raised serious concerns about the “reliability and integrity” of the reports concerning the recent events at the KOJC.

“Given the complexity of the situation, we acknowledge that it was not easy to acquire information regarding what’s really happening on the ground,” he said.

Militar said that Dabawenyos relied mostly on the information put out on social media or news reports from the mainstream media.

“However, people monitoring the situation, including myself, were confronted with different versions of the same story – each one colored by its source or platform,” he said.

In a media interview, Militar said that news reports on the issues involving the KOJC created “confusion” among Dabawenyos, affecting the city.

He said his call for a fair and accurate news reporting is addressed to all media, including Sonshine Media Network International or SMNI News, KOJC’s broadcast media arm.

Militar claimed that investors and tourists cancelled their flights to Davao due to the “fake and inaccurate information” circulated online, particularly the reports about this city being put on lockdown in the early days of the police operations.

Kath Cortez, a reporter for Davao Today and media safety officer of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, said that authorities  should investigate who are spreading false information.

She said that SMNI News first reported, on its Facebook page, unverified reports of the alleged death of seven KOJC members last August 24, the lockdown of Davao City,  and the cancellation of flights at the Davao International Airport.

However, only one was confirmed dead due to cardiac arrest, the city was not placed under lockdown and flights continued.

“Aside from doing our job in gathering information, we need to fact-check everything to correct information and correct public perception. At the end of the day, media workers were called ‘bias’ and ‘bayaran’,” she said.

Bringing the news to the public also posed danger to the safety of journalists then.

Members of the media covering the standoff were harassed by furious supporters of Quiboloy on August 26, hours after the dispersal of the crowd barricading a portion of Carlos P. Garcia Highway, also known as the Diversion Road.

The media personnel from various news outfits immediately reported the incident to the Buhangin Police Station.

The media members who were harassed included Edith Caduaya and Eugene Dango of Newsline Philippines; Ian Carl Espinosa, Antonio L. Colina IV, and Toto Lozano of MindaNews; Arnel Rebayla and Ramel Domingo of PTV 4; and, Germelina Lacorte of Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Check first before sharing

Militar urged Dabwenyos to cultivate the habit of fact-checking before sharing the information on social media, saying that posting and sharing information has become easier with the proliferation of smartphones.

He added that it is important that they discern “facts from fiction, truth from rumor in this age of information overload.”

“The crucial part of telling a news story will sometimes depend on where it’s coming from and how accurate is the information. This is where the challenge on how to be as accurate, balanced, and as fair as possible in delivering the reports,” he said.

Militar added that media should ensure that the news report should be accurate, verified, and free from bias before publishing it as the “public trust rests on your shoulders, and with that trust comes the responsibility to provide the truth.”

He also urged news sources “to provide timely and truthful information that the people need to know.” (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)