Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino today said that legislating media blackout is unnecessary to address situations like last Monday’s hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand.

“As the people’s eyes and ears to events of national significance, journalists should be given the right to cover crisis situations. The media should collectively create a protocol on how they should handle crisis situation coverage,” he said.

“But such right and responsibility should be accompanied with ethics and professionalism on the part of journalists. Sa halip na i-blindfold mo ang media, mas nararapat na i-train sila kung papaano titingnan ang isang pangyayari kung saan hindi maisasakripisyo ang buhay ng mga hostage kapalit ng live coverage,” the youth solon said.

“The journalists and the police should communicate how to meet halfway regarding media coverage to lessen the collateral damage. Specific actions vary because not all situations are the same. It’s a case to case basis.”

Palatino also said that legislations could be used and maximized against the media by authorities during crisis situation coverage.

Moreover, Palatino said that such statutes are “impractical.”

“Apart from the broadcast media, hostage-takers may avail of cellphones, laptops, internet live streaming and other technologies to gather information. We must not assume that the hostage-taker is old-fashioned. Even without the television like in the case of Mendoza, the hostage-taker still has technology in his reach to know what is happening. ” said Palatino.

He added “Are social networking sites included in this blackout? Blow by blow accounts was posted in sites such as Twitter and Facebook by media networks and citizens to update and be updated regarding the hostage crisis.” ###