July 6, 2010

The killings, a culture of impunity, continues under the new Aquino administration.


The Inquirer Front Page main headline today (Bayan activist shot dead. Gunman kills victim in front of 12-yr-old son) reports what could be the first political killing (some say extrajudicial killing) and continue to report on the first dead journalist in the new President's 5-day old administration. Although the news report did not pin the blame on President Aquino, it nevertheless gave negative treatment via interviews with left leaning people giving unsolicited advise to the President. Aquino -1.

The other front page news today are as follows:

Aquino orders review of RP defense - features the Phil. Airforce, their support for the new administration, and Aquino's speech on the occassion of the PAF's 63rd anniversary. Aquino +1.

‘Business as usual’ over at DPWH, says new head - reports about the statement of the new DPWH secretary who vows to end corruption in the department. It also talked about some past projects that supposedly benefitted two former Pres. Arroyo's sons. Arroyo -1.

President’s men to be trained in handling media - reports that because the administration people are new, they will undergo some training, as if the said idea absolves them of their media bloopers in the first 5 days of the Aquino administration. The report nevertheless gave negative impressions for Presidential spokesperson Lacierda and DepEd Sec. Luistro. It did not comment much on how Aquino himself seems to be answering negatively mass media's questions. The report therefore is negative to his men but not yet to Aquino directly. Lacierda -1. Luistro -1.

Aquino is against ‘jueteng,’ says Malacañang - this report gave space to Anti-Jueteng crusader Bishop Cruz' statements against the illegal numbers game and against gambling as a whole that puts the new administration to be in the dark as far as illegal gambling is concerned. Aquino -1.

And the ‘wiener’ is … ‘Jaws’ Chestnut - an AFP cum AP feature on a weird American competition involving a lot of hotdogs.

Is it time to give up NAIA in favor of Clark? - a feature about the airport in Clark, named after the former President's father, on the backdrop of recent problems encountered in the NAIA.

Belmonte leads in House; 3-way race in Senate - a feature about the race for leadership in the two chambers of congress without reporting much how leadership positions are arrived at there.

The scores today:
Aquino: -1.
Lacierda: -1
Luistro: -1
Arroyo: -1

For the first time in weeks, Aquino and his men joined Arroyo in the negative territory, prompting the question as to whether this is the end of the Administration's honeymoon period with the press..