Page 78 - Conflict, Terrorism, and the Media In Asia

The Philippines media 67
it was forced to publicly reiterate its commitment to the peace process after some
militants and non-government organisations publicly expressed their doubts about
the government’s sincerity in advancing the peace process. Arroyo responded by
claiming that ‘Our commitment to peace has been firm, consistent, and carried out
on all fronts. We have a comprehensive peace program that is closely tied up with
justice, poverty alleviation, and the fight against terrorism’(Manila Bulletin 2004g).
More often than not there is nothing more than this reporting of claim and
counter-claim. There is very little analysis or background information to help the
reader understand the situation. However it is unclear whether this actually mat-
ters greatly to the CPP-NPA, because they have the access to the media that they
need and are successfully getting their messages across to the public. It would be
helpful to them if the media was more analytical and critical of the government,
but the media could equally be more analytical and critical of the CPP-NPA.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front
The island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines has been the scene of a
separatist rebellion by the Island’s Muslim population that has lasted three
decades, cost hundreds of thousands of lives and stifled development. The rebel-
lion was initially led by the secular Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), but
the more hard line Islamist elements within the MNLF split off to form the MILF
in 1977. The MNLF was brought into mainstream politics through a peace agree-
ment in 1996 under which parts of Mindanao became autonomous, but the MILF
has continued an armed struggle for full independence, mostly operating in high-
land and rural areas covered in thick jungle. Since 2002 the MILF has sought a
negotiated peace settlement with the government. A ceasefire was agreed, which
despite being broken numerous times, still holds. As part of the ceasefire agree-
ment, the former MILF chairman, Salamat Hashim, denounced terrorism and
pledged to weed out any terrorists in the MILF ranks (The Economist 2003).
As a reflection of its involvement in the peace process, the MILF is labelled by
the broadsheet print media as a separatist or rebel organisation. A number of
bombings and other violent incidents allegedly perpetrated by MILF troops have
been labelled ‘acts of terrorism’ (Inq7.net 2003c,e), and some individual MILF
commanders have been labelled as terrorists, but the broadsheet print media and
the government have shied away from defining the MILF itself as a terrorist
organisation. In contrast, some newspapers such as the tabloid Mindanao Daily
Mirror and the Sun Star have a more ambiguous attitude, labelling the MILF as
‘terrorists’, but still reporting MILF statements rejecting terrorism.
Reporting of the MILF also shows considerable improvement since 2000. It is
the MILF’s involvement in the peace process which has had the most direct
impact, leading to more background information being provided than was the
case in 2000 (Pe Benito and Cagoco 2004). It also enables the MILF to exert some
degree of influence over media outputs. It recognises the importance of the media
in projecting a positive image of itself and of the need to be committed to the
peace process. Therefore it has used the media to publicise the positive steps it
has taken to commit itself to the process, particularly the support it has provided