The truth about the Cory-Ampatuan link is that there is no truth
The truth about the Cory-Ampatuan link is that there is no truth. Contrary to what Belinda Olivares-Cunanan is peddling. Here’s a reaction from a reader:
To: Isagani Yambot, Publisher
Philippine Daily InquirerDear Sir,
After reading Belinda Olivares-Cunanan’s 10 December 2009 “Political Tidbits” column in the PDI, I was very alarmed to see that Mrs. Cunanan stated as a “fact” that Former President Corazon C. Aquino appointed Andal Ampatuan Sr. as OIC of Maganoy in 1986.
As an avid reader of the PDI, I am disappointed to see such an irresponsible statement printed, whether or not it is attributable to poor research or polluted sources.
What is perhaps more disturbing is that this malicious historical error has been refuted over and over by credible sources even from within your paper.
The truth is that Ampatuan Sr. was already OIC of Maganoy (now Shariff Aguak) and was appointed by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, when President Aquino came to power. In fact, President Aquino *removed* the Ampatuan patriarch and replaced him with a non-political member of the Ampatuan clan, Datu Bodhi Ampatuan, who served as Chief of Police in Maguindanao.
Fr. Mercado, who was then parish priest and NAMFREL Chairman of Maguindanao, personally told Ampatuan Sr. that the latter was being replaced by President Aquino.
Seeing how volatile the situation is now, the said statement is very disparaging of the memory of our beloved Tita Cory. Ethics dictate that such statements should be made with extreme caution, and should be founded on good, solid facts from unimpeachable sources.
In the interest of balanced views and fairness, I hope my letter finds its way into publication if only to correct the blatant falsity perpetuated by Mrs. Cunanan’s statement on the matter.
Yours truly,
Abigail dela Fuente-Valte
Source: Cory-Ampatuan link: Poor research or polluted sources?
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Pati ba naman sa Inquirer? Gosh. Another attempt to ‘destroy’ the Aquino name by linking them to the Ampatuans. Kacheapan! Belinda O. Cunanan should know better.
Malakas ang cheezmaks na yang si Belinda Olivarez-Cunanan daw is well-known sa media industry na Anti-Aquino kaya kahit mali-mali balita, talagang she takes opportunity maka-panira lang. Oo nga naman, nasa media ka, pwes gamitin ang power. Haha!
Reynz,
Terribly difficult to believe everything Olivarez-Cunanan says; she’s one of Gloria’s and this administration’s drum beaters.
I do think most of what she says come from her backside.
Overall, the I describe the Philippine Media as no more than an inbred boys’ club in my latest article “Shock” and “awe” in Imperial Manila.
The problem is that consumers of the “information” products of our current Philippine Media don’t have the brains to be critical in the way they discern between good quality and bad quality content.
Same thing is happening with the Philippine Blog Awards. That too has become a love-in of padrinos/padrinas and little cliques of like-minded bloggers that no longer represent the true breadth and depth of the Philippine blogosphere — just as, today, the overall Mainstream Philippine Media no longer represent the breadth and depth of the IMPORTANT issues that face the larger Philippine nation not to mention the ORDINARY Filipino as it has become no more than a mouthpiece of the small elite minority of the chattering classes that broker power among themselves.
So if we are outraged by this kind of “irresponsible” reporting, we should STEP BACK and regard the bigger picture and ask a broader question:
What has become of the Philippine Media?
Do its “products” it still serve the interests of the Filipino people? Or has it become just another cog in the machinery that wins political power for the Usual Suspects and makes money for the shareholders of the large for-profit enterprises that largely make up this community?
Ei! Benigno, you’re back. I think you wrote something about FAILED sumtin, sumtin – mind sharing the link? I heard about it, nawala ko and I just arrived.
Never mind benigno – got it!
If you were referring to the article “The Philippines is a failed state“, that wasn’t me, that was Ben Kritz.
Btw, what do you mean “I’m back”? I never left.