There will be “no leakage” of information in Malacañang that would favor only one media entity from now on.

This was the assurance of Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Saturday as he took the blame for announcing the issuance of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2 over DZMM radio, a move that irked newsmen covering the presidential beat last Friday.

“I guarantee that it will not happen again,” Lacierda said in Filipino as he aired his side yesterday over government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

It was the second time that such “blunder” happened. Incidentally, the first blunder involved Aquino's Memorandum Circular No. 1.

The first incident happened during the first week of Aquino's administration, when Lacierda missed a scheduled press conference in the Palace because he was being interviewed by the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC). Lacierda had since apologized for his blunder and even underwent a crash course on media interaction.

With the two Palace blunders, Malacañang beat reporters expressed concern that with two former ABS-CBN employees – Ricky Carandang and Manolo Quezon – as part of the Communications Group, ABS-CBN would have the edge over other media entities in getting information just like what happened last Friday.

Lacierda last Friday announced MC No. 2, which extends the services of non-career government officials until October 31 through an interview with DZMM radio of the ABS-CBN network. Similar announcements are usually made over government radio station Radyo ng Bayan.

Lacierda, however, took the blame, saying Carandang and Quezon had nothing to do with the blunder.

“[Ricky Carandang and Manolo Quezon] were totally not part of that. It was my own decision and I stand by it. I was wrong and that was my mistake. We will assure you that there would be no advance information given to Channel 2,” he said.

Lacierda also admitted that he is still adjusting to his new role as presidential spokesperson.

“I should really remember that my first recipient of information should be the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC). I realized that… and, in fact, kung nagagalit kayo (if you’re mad), it’s because you have a right to do so,” he said. “I do not bear any grudge.”

Last Friday, the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) wrote a complaint-letter to Lacierda.

In its letter, the MPC requested Lacierda that "if there are any major Palace announcements that have to be made, we would appreciate it if you could alert the MPC first before breaking it elsewhere.”

“This morning, you were overheard issuing a major announcement on DZMM, which you later texted to the MPC. Since you had the information prior to the interview, it would have been best if you alerted the MPC about it first. If it had to be aired on radio for quicker dissemination, the best choice for the presidential spokesman would have been the government-owned Radyo ng Bayan,” the group wrote.

“This way, everybody would have a fair chance to break the news. Malacañang wouldn't be accused of favoritism. The MPC radio reporters, who were particularly vexed by the incident, wouldn't have to quote you as making the announcement in a rival radio station,” it added.

MPC explained that “in radio reporting, the station to break the announcement gets the scoop.”

“In this case, you gave a private station that scoop, so you can just imagine the vehement reactions of the radio reporters assigned to cover you, and the beating they are likely to get from their superiors. The TV reporters and online reporters were also affected by the announcement on DZMM. Since that station belongs to the ABS-CBN family, the first TV station to break it are, of course, ABS-CBN and ANC, which also have online news reports,” the MPC said.