THE media plays a significant role in shaping a nation and society.
It serves as a medium for ordinary Filipinos to obtain information, form opinions, and make judgments about various issues facing the country.
It is also the duty of the media to keep people updated and informed about what is truly happening around them and in the world.
But what if the information presented to the people is lacking, incorrect, or inappropriate to what is truly happening?
The question of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) regarding the mainstream media in the Philippines.
Instead of helping, it seems that the mainstream media is burying the Filipino people in lies.
In a press conference, they questioned the apparent giving of airtime to convicted child abusers and NPA recruiters, France Castro and Satur Ocampo.
According to Carlo Catiil, a minister of KOJC, it is puzzling why the mainstream media continues to focus on Castro and Ocampo.
He emphasized that rather than interviewing the victims of Castro and Ocampo, the mainstream media still gives importance to the two despite their convictions.
“Mainstream media, we are just wondering why they give so much airtime to such news, they did not even interview the victims about how they feel, plus they gave airtime to give importance to these leftists like Castro,” according to Bro. Carlo Catiil, Minister, KOJC.
He said this was a good opportunity to show all Filipinos the crimes the CPP-NPA-NDF, led by Castro and Ocampo, are committing, but the opposite happened.
“Like this, this is good news that we should emphasize because these are operatives of the CPP-NPA, but your sympathy is still with them, not with the true victims. That’s the kind of mainstream media we have,” Catiil added.
He also cited the mainstream media’s reversal of the story about the illegal attack by the PNP-SAF and CIDG on the KOJC religious compound last June 10.
“Like on June 10 when we were attacked, we were surprised that when it came out in the news, we were the ones portrayed as violent and aggressive. Then your tagline says, ‘we’re not biased, we’re not protecting anyone; true service only,’ and another network says, ‘honest and accurate reporting for those who know and care,” he stressed.
He also emphasized that the mainstream media is really not fair in reporting due to their own interests.
“If you are fair in reporting, every time Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy’s name comes up, you always report negatively. Did you get our side? No, you twist it according to the interests of your station’s owners, that’s how it is,” he added.
Meanwhile, veteran broadcaster Jay Sonza said it is clear that the current administration is ganging up on KOJC and SMNI because, among all media, only SMNI was not given accreditation for the upcoming SONA.
“Just to clarify because they might say, ‘Oh look, SMNI is mad at Marcos, that’s why they didn’t go live.’ So, we clarify now so that you know, even if we wanted to be fair, Malacañang and the Speaker’s office disapproved our technical and logistical support team’s accreditation,” Jay Sonza, Veteran Broadcaster stated.
“The problem is they did not want to give us accreditation for our technical and logistical support team because they said, ‘Why would we go live when it’s just social media?’ They are really ignorant,” he added.
In this regard, Catiil said that the reason the mainstream media’s news is not in the right tone is that they are scared of the administration.
“SMNI cannot be bought, cannot be silenced, so look, they were sidelined. It’s either fear or they are bought because they control everything,” Catiil expressed.
In the end, KOJC promises that SMNI will continue to provide the right news and information even though it is being silenced by heartless politicians.
“But SMNI, even without a franchise for now because it is suspended, but we have social media, we will not stop our voice in presenting the truth, the truth will not be covered up. That’s why they are afraid, here at SMNI we have principles,” Catiil concluded.
