Playing the blame game on military corruption

Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:54

Written by Danilo Araña Arao

Should the media be blamed for the decision of former Secretary Angelo Reyes to take his own life last February 8?
It cannot be denied that the live coverage of the congressional hearings on alleged corruption in the military took its toll on Reyes. He obviously felt slighted by the accusations that he was among those who stole from the government coffers.

In fact, a day before he took his own life, some legislators were already seriously considering inviting his wife Teresita to testify. What apparently troubled former Secretary Reyes is that even his own family is being dragged into the controversy, as his wife was accused of getting pocket money from the AFP in her travels abroad. Because to the timely media reports, Reyes felt demonized as reporters quoted from the statements of legislators who were hostile to him.

Yes, it is so easy to blame media for what Reyes did. But what is conveniently ignored is that Reyes also has access to the same media organizations his perceived enemies had used to allegedly ruin him.

That he is losing the battle of public opinion has more to do with his deafening silence on the issue. What proves to be hard to accept is the argument that there is something honorable and dignified about keeping silent on an issue as serious as corruption and plunder. What is most unacceptable to many people is that he decided to remain silent forever.

As an old saying goes, dead people tell no tales. Reyes apparently chose to bring to his grave the answer to the very simple question people expected him to answer: What do you know about the corruption in the military, especially during the time that you were chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND)?

A senator may have been too harsh in using the word “moron” to describe him, but there is cogent reason to wonder why a high-ranking official like him would claim to know nothing about the allegedly illegal activities of people under him. It may be an exaggeration to call him one of the greatest morons in history, but people cannot be blamed if they saw something stupid in the way he tried to answer questions by just simply feigning ignorance and issuing denials without the benefit of lengthy explanations.

Now that he is dead, media are all the more challenged to continue reporting the issue of corruption in the military, even if this means some of the protagonists would end up taking their own lives in the process. I’m sorry for sounding impersonal at this point, but I do feel offended when the blame game is played without fully understanding the circumstances behind the suicide of Angelo Reyes.

Despite his guilt or innocence on the charge of graft and corruption (or even plunder), it cannot be denied that he knows something. He has, however, opted to remain perpetually silent. Instead of blaming certain personalities or even the media for what had happened to Reyes, we should be asking ourselves what we should do to make sure that we could ferret out the truth, the non-cooperation of Reyes and other accused military officials (as well as their wives) notwithstanding.

Definitely, imposing a de facto news blackout by not opening to the public the congressional investigation is not the solution. Now, more than ever, people need to know the latest developments, particularly the statements of witnesses for or against the accused.

Media may have shortcomings in reporting latest developments. It must be stressed, however, that aggrieved parties are free to use the very same media outlets they are criticizing to say their piece. Those who do now know the value of press freedom in critical times like this must not be allowed to use media’s shortcomings to deprive the people of crucial information.

If there’s anything that must be learned from Reyes’ suicide, it is the need to continue reporting so that the truth will be eventually known.

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