August 26, 2010

The Phil. Daily Inquirer still gave the hostage crisis embarrassment the center stage in its front page today.


The main headline (4 SWAT members sacked. Manila police chief goes on leave as probe starts) is a report mostly coming from the administration about the steps they are taking to investigate the embarrassing incident. It is of course positive to the administration as it says the government is doing something, but not positive enough as it has not named the President nor has it signified a positive opinion on the development.

The other news in the front page today:

SAD HOMECOMING Bodies of 8 hostage victims flown to HK - stories about the victims of the hostage taking and the send off in the airport attended by Philippine officials.

RP assured of safety of Filipinos in Hong Kong - surprisingly, a report on the defense of the Filipino in general and concerns for the safety of Filipino workers in Hong-Kong.

Arroyo’s allies hit Aquino handling of hostage crisis - amazingly, a news that puts the blame on the former President. Arroyo -1.

Cops brave but got it wrong, says UK expert - a reprint of a BBC news story. PNP -1.

SWAT swatted on the Net - a joke report on the meaning of SWAT, the response of the PNP and a background on this kind of elite law enforcement unit that still leaves the PNP in the negative. PNP -1.

Angry messages flood Aquino’s Facebook - a sampling of the negative comments on PResident Aquino in facebook. Aquino -1.

Palace seeks dialogue with media - a report that shows the mass media is not being blamed by the Aquino administration and that still the administration is taking action to make sure that the things which mass media did wrong which cannot be blamed on the mass media will not happen again.

The scores today seems to show that the Aquino administration and the mass media is safe from criticism in its bungled handling of the hostage situation as far as the Inquirer is concerned, safer even than Arroyo and the PNP.
Aquino: -1
Arroyo: -1
PNP: -2