Sanchez vs Cruz (from my perspective)

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I had been awaiting a response from my former Journalism professor, Danny Arao, about comments posted by a journalist versus a well-known news anchor on Facebook, when I got a shock reading Alcuin Papa’s story on the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The headline read, “Newsroom war on at TV network. “(http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20090916-225546/Newsroom-war-on-at-TV-network)

I guess that was my answer.

It was RG Cruz who apparently and supposedly earned the ire of Korina Sanchez. Alcuin said that RG posted status messages, among others that seemed to attack or defame Korina, stuff like “First Lady wannabe … who would eventually be a bad spouse” and a “queen in her head without a crown.”

In turn, a letter, supposedly written by Korina was sent and circulated far and wide, assailing RG and calling on ABS-CBN management to look into postings on cyberspace.

RG, Korina and even Alcuin are my friends. So being an amiable-type personality, it bothers me to hear of these conflicts.

For the record, RG has deleted all posts on his Facebook account. He does have a blog, which he updates regularly about political issues and whatnot, but that’s RG for you, he’s a guy who’s very opinionated. That’s what I like about him. He speaks his mind.

RG and I talk occasionally. But when we do, we talk for quite a while. I guess one of this things we have in common is that we are often misunderstood. But he is driven and tries his best at what he does.

I had a chance to talk to RG by phone right before writing this post. He’s okay, but would rather stay quiet for now.

Because RG and I are Facebook friends, I saw the posts. But these were removed after a while. Sure, he was kinda ranting, but haven’t we, at one point or more, ever posted something on our blogs, Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, Plurk or whatever social networking site or message site that we ended up regretting.

In a much larger perspective, we all have out our foot in our mouths one too many times.

True, RG should have been careful and constructive. As a journalist, he is, to some extent, a public figure, albeit not in the level of our current crop of showbiz personalities. But his words carry weight. Journalists are opinion leaders too. His blog stats should have been an indicator of that for him.

Now on to Korina. Reposted below is the letter, courtesy of Marichu Lambino’s blog (http://marichulambino.wordpress.com/). I edited the letter minimally, noting some grammatical errors.

“A LETTER TO MANAGEMENT AND TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE TOLD ME OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE REGARDING THE FACEBOOK ATTACKS OF RG  CRUZ AGAINST KORINA SANCHEZ”

(From Korina  Sanchez)

“I thought, not too long but hard, about writing this  letter about someone who I supposedly work with but hardly  know—someone who, should I see along our company(’s) corridors, I probably wouldn’t even recognize.”

 “While some characters would sit back, relax and ignore the nuances and irritants of daily living, some characters such as (myself) are the types who would see and know, by experience, if I may add, that evil prospers when good men do nothing.  While there is  wisdom in silence, there is nobility to be found in response  and courage—as foolish as some might think these to be,  given specific circumstances.”

“Such was my thought process when I decided to write this letter.  As inconsequential to my universe  as someone, whose opinion I do not care about at all, is(,) there is something to be said here (and) something to consider.  It is for the greater good  among us who, fortunately or unfortunately, have to work  with each other in ABS-CBN for precisely the greater  good.”

“I received  the calls and texts (to me) from longtime co-workers and  colleagues at the station recently.  They  sa(id), ‘Ma’am, do you know what RG Cruz has been posting  on his Facebook against you? Why is the company allowing  this?  How could he say such things? Do  you have some war going on with him?’ (One of these callers) (person at the  other end of the line) sounded so urgent.  This (was already) (is) the 3rd person to tell me of the  Facebook entries of( by) a certain ( an) RG Cruz (within a few days) about a  ‘First Lady wannabe …who would eventually be a bad  spouse…a queen in her head without a crown…’ and  some.  We have copies of all of the RG  Cruz entries on his Facebook. Suffice it to say, (that) the tirades (were) against, (who Cruz eventually admitted was) Korina Sanchez(.) (These) were as creative as creativity can many times be (b)orne (from) spite and utter, utter hatred.  It  reminds me of the creativity of serial killers from  history(,) Jack the Ripper for instance(,) who kept the English police guessing(,) (and) following and  analyzing each way the pattern was kept alive with each of  his dead, mangled victims.”

“I thought hard, (‘)RG Cruz?  RG Cruz…Oh…RG Cruz, oh that RG Cruz(!)  He always  wears a long coat much like Keanu Reeves in the movie (The) Matrix.’  I once thought it to be cute and  fantasized (about) my fiancé Mar in one of those(.) (I even wondered)(wondering), “Hmmm, maybe this outfit would do it for him and give an extra 5 percentage points in the surveys(.)”  (But) (a)las, we always ha(d) the same reaction to every idea—it is ability, track record, integrity, honesty,  diligence, intelligence, compassion and vision that should  bring an aspirant to his rightful place in history(,) stupid.  Not long coats!”

“Back to RG  Cruz.  Yes, I remember now.  RG is the cute, little young guy who I actually kind of like.  I thought from his outfit and  from watching one anchoring job he did in ANC that this guy  has character.  We would often walk by each other going different directions (along the) company corridors  late at night when I anchor Bandila.  Many  of those times(,) I try to catch his glimpse to smile(,) but, for  some reason, he always has his head down or he would look  (towards) some other direction.  Half of that time(,) maybe it was I looking down (or towards) other  directions.  In short, and as astonishing  as it apparently is, I don’t really know nor have  interacted or worked (with), nor (even) (do I ever) remember having had  conversation with Mr. RG Cruz. (And) I do not know where his  concentrated anger targeted towards me is coming from.”

“Skin off my nose. He doesn’t count.”

“But here is where we learn some things(.) (Y)es, even in instances that should seem not  matter.”

 “Sad as it  is, it is not surprising that in my (more than 20 years with ABS-CBN,)( experience of more than  20 years of work in the company,) there (will)(may) always be someone  like RG Cruz who will just be the way they are without rhyme  or reason.  There have been many batches  before RG that I have seen suffer(ed) and  survive(d).  I guess he represents his  batch.  My advice is, ignore.  And then, when you feel (like) it has become too much,  report to our superiors.  If the regulations and the law warrants, push for management action, even a sanction, (or)(even) a lawsuit.”

“Logic dictates that,  just as we are all bound by  regulations and ethics regarding how we relate and treat  each other within the company, these parameters encompass  treatment of each other that is public, evident (and)  attestable.  Facebook, designed as it maybe for “friends,” is essentially public.  Slanderous comments are, arguably, considered  published.  “Blind item” lawsuits have  been won in Philippine courts as well. As long as more than  a certain number of people can identify, without a doubt,  the unnamed victim of slander and  character assassination,  the offense is actionable.”

“I, by the way, do not understand why Mr. Cruz would bother to not mention my cherished name in his attacks against me when he outright(ly) named another company talent, Mr. Willie Revillame, and attacked him as well.”

 “In the  interest of sound policy covering such misdemeanors(,) to protect its employees and talents and maintain the civility  required of us all to achieve company goals—as  painlessly as humanly possibly—I have inquired with  management and have urged them to take a closer look at the  cyberworld as public domain (and) which (can be) (is) a potent instrument  for destruction and unwarranted personal aggravation of its  victims, especially in the hands of co-employees.”

 “Lastly, but most importantly(,) (i)t has been  almost (six) days since Sen. Mar Roxas’ abdication of position  of standard bearer of the Liberal Party of the Philippines  to endorse Sen. Noynoy Aquino as party candidate for the  Presidency of the Republic.  I’ve seen  it and felt it for myself: it is the easiest thing to have  an ambition, calculate and run for office.   It is the mo(re) difficult to want to serve, calculate,  invest and then give way. Until you see and be, it would be  a task for any jaded journalist to imagine.”

 “The  overwhelming outpour of love, grief, disagreement with the  decision, admiration and emulation which followed Sen. Roxas’ example has carved a niche for his good name in Philippine history books this early in his life in public service and governance.  I would like to  thank many of you who have called to say how they’ve  admired Mar’s sacrifice. To those who challenge the  integrity of Mar’s sacrifice and may dismiss it as  expediency(,) I invite you to a chat as I might enlighten you on things you might not be fully informed about or aware  of.   I give special thanks to Ted  Failon, Julius and Tintin Babao, the people of DZMM News,  Joelet Reyes, the other staff of Bandila,  Ging Reyes and Charie Villa, Ms. Cory Vidanes and our  President Charo S. Concio for their kind and generous  words.”

 “Many of us  in the news business have often thought (and) felt that we are as  big or powerful as those we cover.  Our indifference and sarcasm say so.  And too  many times I have, myself, dismissed acts of greatness and  sacrifice as just “one of those things”. Having taken  this long a leave of absence from my years of work in  broadcast (journalism) for the first time(,) and finding myself (a) participant  in something so important to this country, its people and  its future(,) I now see even more clearly how small and  insignificant each of us is in the much bigger picture (that) affect(s) 90 million lives. That is, until we think, act,  speak and, most of all, do something to become the  difference, make a difference for the good and become…bigger. Or do something or nothing to make us even smaller, more insignificant. We might as well just  disappear.”

 “So to you, RG Cruz, I say, I hope that—as your Facebook entry  narrated—as you were “eating chocolate” and  indulging your gastronomical cravings while events at Club  Filipino on  the 2nd  of  September 2009 were unfolding and all  you could think of and delight in, as written in your  Facebook, are your cruel attacks, pettiness, inanities and  insensitivities to the sacrifice of others and, horror of  horrors, make these public—you will, henceforth, attempt  to save yourself from the very real prospect of  disappearing, leaving this world without a trace, no better  and even worse than when you found it.”

 “By the way,  did you know that Jack the Ripper loved chocolates,  too?  Look it up.”

 KORINA

“P.S.  I have attached an  interesting article written by Ms. Solita Monsod (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20090905-223616/The-statesman-and-the-retreatant) –  which I  highly recommend for your reading.  I  encourage you to pass this letter to anyone at the office or  outside who may had read RG Cruz’ attacks against me and  my name as a matter of defense of my character and reputation.  Thank you very  much.”

xxx

 

Off-hand, I sincerely doubt that Korina herself wrote the letter. There were a lot of basic grammatical errors and I’m sure that if experts like Butch Dalisay and other writers would read the letter, they would find even more weirdness in it.

But assuming she had some kind of hand in this, I find it weird that Korina simply could not confront RG and ask him pointblank about the Facebook entries. Doesn’t a 20-year career and her position as Chief Correspondent warrant that. I think class and being a role model for many junior reporters and aspiring broadcasters dictates that she rise above whatever pettiness and confront issues with humility, dignity and grace.

So at the end of the day, even if RG was careless and vagabond with his Facebook entries, it is Korina who should have shown magnanimity and decency. She’s older and a much bigger person is after all.

The lesson here is we should all be careful about what we post and say over the internet. Okay, I know, and I tell myself, what the heck, it’s just Facebook, it’s supposed to be fun, consider this: Facebook’s got over 300 million members worldwide. That’s no small number to sneer at. And as Spiderman’s uncle said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

So to Korina and RG and all those involved, one way or another, come on. You are all bigger than this. Learn to forgive and forget. The worlds of media and politics in the Philippines are really small and intertwined. Do you really want to be itchingly uncomfortable with each other for a long time? 

 

 

 

 

 

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