On Sunday, the priest who had me barred from entering the Archbishop’s Residence apologized and explained what happened. I won’t be naming him. He’s young and I hope he moves on and learns from this episode as much as I have learned from it.
Before the priest and I talked, I met with Archbishop Jose Palma and we had lunch. The Archbishop was quick to apologize for what happened and thanked me that I did not think he was responsible for it. It’s true. I have never had any problems interviewing Archbishop Palma if we meet in events.
After our lunch (separate blog post soon), Palma brought me to the room where the priest and I would talk. He thanked me again for coming over and the archbishop left for his afternoon engagement.
The priest apologized for what happened last May 21. That day, I was barred entry to the Archbishop’s Residence and told by the guard I was banned from the premises. The priest denied I was singled out. He said he only left instructions that none from the media would be allowed in.
But the guard was specific that only I was barred. I asked the guard and that was what he told me. Retired publisher Eileen Mangubat independently confirmed this because she asked the guard separately and was told “sa tanan media, ma’m, siya ra ang gi-bawal.”
The priest said a member of the Archbishop’s household was worried that I would be at the parking area even if my request to interview Palma was denied. He said they were worried that I would enter the building and try to interview Palma. Ridiculous.
I told him that that would never happen. I said I respected Archbishop Palma and did not have any problem getting his comment if we met in public. Plus, I had other church officials to contact for the archdiocese’s side. I told him archdiocesan heritage commission head Fr. Brian Brigoli would always answer or return my calls.
I told the priest that I’m very respectful when conducting ambush interviews. I’d signal to the subject that I wanted to ask 1 or 2 questions and if she accedes, then I’d ask the question. If I’m within earshot, I’d explain what I wanted to ask about while seeking permission to interview – this often works because I’m already asking a question anyway. With Mr Aboitiz, I was 2 out of 3 in ambush interviews.
The priest said he realized that indeed I only stayed at the parking area and only interviewed the NMP officials.
Here are some of the points that we discussed during the meeting:
1.) Different roles: I told the priest, “it’s not my job to make the church look good, that’s your job.” I neither set out to make the church look good or bad. What I’m after are interesting stories. I write about the church because I find the subject interesting. I write about whatever interests me. In June and July, something else will interest me and take up my time – COA audit reports because it is releasing time.
2.) Cordon sanitaire: The cordon sanitaire around Archbishop Palma makes him look bad. Shortly after the April 16 meeting between the Archdiocese of Cebu and the National Museum of the Philippines, I was able to interview NMP BOT Chair Andoni Aboitiz at the parking area of the Archbishop’s Residence.
I sent 3 requests for a short interview with Palma but I was told to wait for a press statement from media liaison officer Msgr. Joseph Tan (which never came).
When I wrote the story, all I had was the statement of Aboitiz. I got some details from Fr. Brian Brigoli but Aboitiz’s statements carried more weight because he is head of agency.
The story is what it is because of the material that I had. Had the statement that Palma gave 11 days after at the Minor Seminary press conference been made available, the story would have had a different angle.
His insistence on Church ownership would have been the lead. But how were we to know that? We can’t read the Archbishop’s mind or the mind of any of the church officials. You cannot complain against biased or one-sided reports if you make it difficult for reporters to get your side.
I told him criticisms against Archbishop Palma are unfair precisely because they do not make his statements available. Palma appears weak in pressing the church’s ownership claim over the panels because his voice isn’t heard.
3.) Church reporting is more than just reposting whatever it is the archdiocese media arm releases. Some are okay with that, but not all. I’m not. I have too much self respect. We serve different publics – the archdiocese media updates those already in the church. I write for a general audience. I report, I don’t just repost.
4. In recent months, nobody wrote more about the church than I did. (Pamuyboy portion) In some events, only I bothered to attend. During the vocation month press con, only Vic Kintanar and I were there. Only we wrote about the event for various publications.
During the vocation jamboree, I showed up even at past midnight. None of the other newsrooms bothered to cover these
5.) I’m not in it for the money – some of the payment for my articles are just enough to pay for gas and other incidental expenses in field work. Again, I report on these things because I love writing about them. It’s an act of self-gratification.
I gave away some articles to publications that were not able to cover church events or issues that I deem important. I make money elsewhere to fund the reporting that interests me.
6.) The priest acknowledged my reporting and said some of the stories I write are unreported by others. He cited Baliw-Baliw Festival, which he said they in the church did not know about.
7.) I asked the priest: why is the archdiocese media liaison team selective on journalists it engages with? As a public institution, isn’t it your responsibility to engage with everyone? Why limit the official chat group media channel to selected outlets? The priest said this was beyond his level. (NOTE: The decision was made by Archdiocese of Cebu Media Liaison Officer Joseph Tan.)
8.) The priest then told me to contact him directly anytime I needed something from Archbishop Palma. He said he will prioritize it.
That was how we ended the short meeting.
Max is a journalist and blogger based in Cebu. He has written and edited for such publications as The Freeman, The Independent Post, Today, Sun.Star Cebu, Cebu Daily News, Philstar Life, and Rappler.
He is also a mobile app and web developer and co-founded InnoPub Media with his wife Marlen.
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