No conflict of interest on Joel Egco's new NTF-ELCAC role

From the Philippine News Agency (May 11, 2021): No conflict of interest on Joel Egco's new NTF-ELCAC role (By Azer Parrocha)

Presidential Task Force on Media Security executive director Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco (File photo)

Malacañang on Tuesday said it does not see any “conflict of interest” in the designation of Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco as one of the eight spokespersons of the government’s anti-insurgency task force.

Egco, who is also Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), was recently designated as spokesperson for “Mass Media Engagements” and “Fact-Checker” of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC).

Some sectors expressed concern over Egco’s new NTF-ELAC role amid the task force’s reputation for alleged red-tagging of journalists and other media workers.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he does not see a conflict of interest in Egco’s new job because his other roles require him to ensure the safety of all media workers.

“Sa tingin ko po, wala naman po ‘yan conflict of interest dahil ang trabaho nga po ni USec. Egco pagdating sa media security ay subaybayan at siguraduhin na ang lahat ng pumapatay sa ating mga mamahayag ay mapaparusahan sang-ayon po sa ating batas (I think there is no conflict of interest because when it comes to media security, it is USec Egco’s job to monitor and ensure that all those who kill our journalists are punished in accordance with our law),” he said in a press briefing.

Citing a study conducted by the media watchdog Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), Roque said most media killings can be traced to local politics and not red-tagging.

“Karamihan po ng killings ay yung mga local po na mga pulitiko na nagpapapatay ng mga local media at hindi naman po related sa red-tagging. ‘Yan po ang katotohanan (Most of the killings are by local politicians who kill local media and are not related to red-tagging. ‘That’s the truth),” he said.

He acknowledged that some journalists have been red-tagged, but noted that legal remedies are also available such as the writ of habeas corpus which can be used to secure the release of a person who is being unlawfully detained, and writ of Amparo which can be used if a person’s right to life, liberty, and security has been violated or under threat.

“Bagamat may ilang mga peryodista na na-redtag na ay meron naman pong remedyo. ‘Yan po yung writ of amparo at saka yung writ of habeas data para burahin kung ano yung naging basehan ng red-tagging (Although there are some journalists who have been red-tagged, there are remedies. That is the writ of Amparo and the writ of habeas data to erase what was the basis of red-tagging),” he said.

On Monday, NTF-ELCAC Vice-Chair and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon announced the designation of six new spokespersons, including Egco, to join Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen Antonio Parlade Jr. and PCOO Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy as co-spokespersons of the task force.

“Remember, the national task force is composed of all agencies of government and so we are just drawing the support and pool of talents from all the government agencies,” Esperon said in a press conference.

He said eight spokespersons are necessary because the said officials, which come from different agencies, could not speak for NTF-ELCAC on a “full-time basis.”

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1139899