My Blog

i recently bumped into an old pal and a comrade in pen in the mall. he hit the headlines a few weeks back, not as the scoop reporter, but as a news subject. he survived an ambush and is still recuperating physically and emotionally. much has been talked about the incident, mainly because election season was at peak then and even what the captured fly told to the hungry spider almost has something to do with politics, but im glad the big guy seemed well and could be bolder when he’s got in his feet 100%.

but more recently, i had a text message saying a beer buddy and fellow ink-dependent got mauled while doing his ware. up to now, i have not heard his piece of mind, but i know the guy is more than upset, to say the very least.

i’m not really privy to the whole story but i’m really worried with those developments. whether the line of responsibility was crossed or not, media people must not be dealt with force. there are venues for that. holding the pen or the microphone is never an easy task. " … in great power comes great responsibility," said Ben Parker. They are the guys who braved everything, including everyday harassment, character assassination and minimal paycheck, just to inform and be the mouthpiece of the masses in relevant issues they could only take the sores after smoke has cleared. i don’t think any media practitioner deserves to be treated this way.

in this curruption-infested bureaucracy where conspiracy is an everyday fancy, the media tips the balance. i think we should be proud that despite being "honored" as the rival of iraq as the country most dangerous to practice journalism at, these endanged species with nothing but guts and press ids still stand firm in our unsafe grounds.

i’m calling on to all brothers and sisters in pen, to condemn by heart and soul all kinds of abuse against the media. more than the constitutional rights of the people to free expression and information, it is our damned right to work and live which are on the line here. if we don’t care enough for our brethren, who would ever dare? the crooked guys in power we all vow to destroy? oh, come on, charity begins at home.

it’s monday, let us all start the week right. padayon!