By Gideon C. Corgue
LABANGAN, Zamboanga del Sur – 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division commander Colonel Aminkandra Undog on Saturday expressed his gratitude to
the Tabak Defense Press Corps (TDPC) for its enormous contribution to the
promotion of Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) “Bayanihan” of Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Speaking during TDPC general
assembly and fellowship night held at the Officer’s Club House, Kuta Major
Ceasar Sang-an, Barangay Pulacan in this town, Undog said the AFP recognized
TPDC’s indispensable role as its partner in ensuring a peaceful, secure and
developed country. He also admitted that addressing all internal peace and
security concerns cannot be done by the AFP alone.
The TDPC, which is composed of
media practitioners from print, broadcast, television, and social media outfits,
is helping the Tabak in disseminating its programs, project, accomplishments
and pronouncements to the public.
Officers and members of TDPC from
Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga Sur met
and rubbed elbows Saturday in a party tendered by the 1st Infantry
(Tabak) Division.
Though the AFP has acknowledged TDPC’s
vital role in disseminating bits of information to the public, it also
encourages the group to be always fair and impartial in its reporting.
Undog said media is an important
asset in disseminating important news and watchdog of our democracy. “They
should always act with impartiality,
“In reporting news, the media should
verify first the authenticity of the news before publication, telecasting and airing
so that it would not create doubts in the minds of readers, listeners and
viewers,” Undog said.
“News story should be clear and
fair … because any story without confirmation and affirmation from the sources
will not only create panic in the public but also in the security forces of the
country,” he added.
He cited an instance where a media practitioner
lost his conscious effort in reporting an ambush incident where a military man
was a victim. “Because he failed to get important facts and details about the
incident, he misled the family of the victim,” shared the Tabak commander.
Undog narrated a story of farmer
who had a dog named “Kittie” that the life of his infant baby from a snake
attack by throwing her out of harm’s way. Thinking that the dog killed her
daughter because of the blood and meat in its mouth, he stabbed the dog to
death without any apparent reason. But when he checked his daughter in her
room, she was alive.
“The story taught us a very
important lesson. We need to verify first the authenticity of the story before
it will be aired and published,” Undog emphasized.
In the same occasion, TDPC President
Ellen Ajijul rendered her accomplishment report for calendar year 2014.
