“Maute, military violated human rights in Marawi: Amnesty Int’l”
Aired November 17, 2017
Mike Navallo, Bandila and ANC’s The World Tonight
Link to actual report(s): Bandila (in Filipino) | ANC (in English)
In reviewing the report above, quoted are provisions from the SPJ Code of Ethics.
“Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing, or summarizing a story.”
The report is very extensive on reporting necessary information regarding what the military and terrorists did, and details about the battle which happened in Marawi.
“Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work…Use original sources whenever possible.”
“Always attribute.”
Interviewees were of proper rank and affiliation (e.g. respective spokespersons of groups), in relation to the conflict which happened in Marawi. Sources were also properly labelled and mentioned, such as the interviewee names and organizations, satellite images, and the like.
“Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair.”
“Diligently seek subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond to criticism or allegations of wrongdoing.”
The report starts off with Maute fighters harming Christians in particular, but is careful not to generalize or stereotype against the Muslims, mentioning that Amnesty International also acknowledges that many of them were instrumental in aiding people, including Christians, in escaping. It also does not leave out the alleged maltreatment of detainees by our military. It emphasizes that it’s possible that both sides have performed human rights violations.
It reports Amnesty International’s questioning of the military’s air strikes, which may have been unnecessary if only a small amount of Maute fighters were left active. It proceeds with an interview of AFP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Padilla Jr., explaining their reasons. However, Amnesty International is still calling for investigation, which Padilla welcomes, saying that they are not tolerating soldiers’ misdeeds.
“Recognize a special obligation to serve as watchdogs over public affairs and government.”
The topic at hand is very newsworthy. It is important for the public to know that even the military may have performed abuse and unnecessary steps (e.g. excessive air strikes, as mentioned in the report) in Marawi, and that welcoming the investigation is a good step for the AFP to defend themselves from accusations or be sanctioned for any violations.
Written by Cruz, P.
2014-29275
pccruz 