Fair And Balanced News

[Americano]

Maybe there's no place in the World that has completely Fair and Balanced News but in the Philippines its taken to a new level.  For those of us who live here and watch the local news it doesn't take long to realize what will make the National News and what won't.

 

Currently it is suspected that a US Marine may have killed a Filipino, so naturally that story is on the National News which is shown several times a day on all local news channels.  If the suspect was another Filipino then the story may not even make the local news.  I guess there's a few reasons for this such as a dislike for Foreigners and don't forget there are Communist forces at work in the Philippines.  We see this biased reporting on may different topics. Some of our readers may understand this biased reporting better than me and can add more understanding.

 

The worse thing I heard on the news today was on Channel 9 from Manila and it was repeated several times during the day.  The TV news reporter said, "The US Marine witnesses were able to escape from the Philippines today."  This is a lie.  The Marines did not escape.  All of them had already given written statements in Affidavits and were therefore allowed the leave the country.  They are witnesses not suspects.  As witnesses they are not even required to give statements but they chose to give statements but by their own free will.

 

"The US Marine witnesses were able to escape from the Philippines today."  These reporters should be fired for making false statements but it seems like the truth doesn't matter much on the News in the Philippines.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Americano

[NavyRN]

I'm visiting in January with my family. How do you think this will affect my visit? I'm visiting in Dipolog City.

[Old55]

I'm visiting in January with my family. How do you think this will affect my visit? I'm visiting in Dipolog City.

 

Very very little unless you visit the US embassy in Manila. There will be professional protesters stationed outside the embassy for the duration of the situation.

[scott h]

Well to be "fair and balanced" Americano. I stream both Fox news and MSNBC at certain times of the day, and to listen to them you cant tell is the states is a right wing Nazi state, or a mamby pamby Nanny state lololol :hystery: . Most news providers will pander to their base, its all about the peso brother. Like I said in a different post, I personally believe their is a lot of "wag the dog" going on. If the powers that be can keep the populace stirred up about a "crisis" that really doesn't effect the normal state of affairs, it keeps their minds off of the price of rice and electricity. Heck its been working since the Romans had the gladiator shows in the colosium.

 

Example, one news outlet I saw states that the witnesses were allowed to leave IAW the terms of the VFA and will be made available upon request (the truth as far as I can see) another stated that, like you said "escaped" I believe that is intended to rile up the anti-American, anti western faction that is out there.

 

How do you think this will affect my visit?

 

Navy,,,don't worry IMHO this wont affect you in the least, come and enjoy your visit. I have not encountered the least resentment from the average joe or jane on the streets here.

 

I have noticed that the press here will use words and terms that don't seem to fit (according to my 3rd grade English teacher anyway), and have had to train myself to delve into what the writer is actually trying to say.

[NavyRN]

Thanks Scott

[MikeB]

"The US Marine witnesses were able to escape from the Philippines today."  These reporters should be fired for making false statements but it seems like the truth doesn't matter much on the News in the Philippines.

I agree it is reprehensible but anyone who expects fair and balanced reporting from the Philippine news media is either delusional or naive. The witnesses gave sworn affidavits, there is no legal or logical reason to keep them here and the US govt has said they will return, as needed, at trial. The activists who are making all the noise about this case are the same ones who were burning the US flag 6 months ago when EDCA was signed. They couldn't care less about this victim. If the accused wasn't a US serviceman the story may not have even made the local paper. Smart to require that the trial conclude within a year or the Philippines relinquishes control. Otherwise we would be reading about a bail hearing in 3 or 4 years.

[Markham]

The worse thing I heard on the news today was on Channel 9 from Manila and it was repeated several times during the day. The TV news reporter said, "The US Marine witnesses were able to escape from the Philippines today." This is a lie. The Marines did not escape. All of them had already given written statements in Affidavits and were therefore allowed the leave the country. They are witnesses not suspects. As witnesses they are not even required to give statements but they chose to give statements but by their own free will. "The US Marine witnesses were able to escape from the Philippines today." These reporters should be fired for making false statements but it seems like the truth doesn't matter much on the News in the Philippines.

 

You really should not confuse your understanding of the laws and judicial processes found in your homeland with those prevalent here in the Philippines. In the Philippines, if you are a witness to a crime then (a) you have to provide a sworn statement and (b) appear at the trial so that you can be questioned on your testimony by lawyers of both sides. And it is based on Philippine legal processes that the Press has madse its reports. That said though and bearing in mind the Ellah Joy case, I believe it is a gross afront to justice that a US serviceman should be treated any differently to an American civilian who would, for all intents and purposes, be abandoned by his Embassy and would, right now, be languishing on remand in some hell-hole of a prison.

 

In any event do remember this: if the Prosecution can provide one or more live witnesses that place Pemberton at the scene of the crime or whose evidence would be sufficient to gain a conviction, then any Defence witnesses will be deemed to be alibis and their evidence discounted and ignored. That's the law.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Currently it is suspected that a US Marine may have killed a Filipino, so naturally that story is on the National News which is shown several times a day on all local news channels. 

 

I do find it interesting that this is such a big deal but when Filipinos kill a Marine it falls off the news radar in a hurry.  Remember this story?

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/285872/pinoyabroad/news/remains-of-us-marine-killed-by-four-pinoys-now-in-new-jersey

[Jack Peterson]

In any event do remember this: if the Prosecution can provide one or more live witnesses that place Pemberton at the scene of the crime or whose evidence would be sufficient to gain a conviction, then any Defence witnesses will be deemed to be alibis and their evidence discounted and ignored. That's the law.

 

 

Just Echoes the age old saying "The Law can be an ASS"  If the cap fits, one of them should wear it. 

 

 

JP :tiphat:

[Markham]

There is an excellent write-up of this case on the "All Things Crime" site by Bob Couttie, a Brit who lived for many years in this country but now lives elsewhere in Asia.