Media organizations should practice “self-regulation” during hostage-taking situations to ensure the lives of hostages are not placed at unnecessary risk, a Palace official said Thursday.

Herminio Coloma, secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, urged journalists to impose guidelines in covering crisis situations following the bloody end of the hostage incident in Manila covered live on television and radio.

Coloma, a former newspaper columnist, said the government respects freedom of the press and would not impose prior restraint on the right of the citizenry to be informed.

“Ang aming paninindigan ay hindi dapat magkaroon ng prior restraint sa freedom of the press and freedom of expression dahil maliwanag itong itinatadhana ng ating Saligang Batas. Ang dapat lang mangyari sana ay iyong media natin ay mag-impose sa kanilang sarili ng self-regulation,” he said over television.

He said self-discipline or self-regulation among media organizations should be practiced in covering crisis situations “without endangering the lives of hostages.”

Meanwhile, the Aquino administration on Thursday assured it will never lift a finger to infringe on the constitutional freedom of speech and of the press.

The assurance was made by Secretary Coloma at the Manila Bay Breakfast Club (MBBC) meeting at the Plaridel Hall of the National Press Club, in reaction to an earlier accusation hurled by opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman who called for his and Secretary Ricky Catandang's resignations, blaming them for the alleged mishandling of the hostage crisis last Monday.

Coloma reiterated President Aquino's policy on no prior restraint in media coverage and reporting.

In his speech after inducting the new officers of MBBC, Coloma, however, cited a primer of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility which recommends no live coverage on hostage situations that only provides hostage-takers “an unedited propaganda platform.”

The center, Coloma said, also listed three other “dont's” in hostage coverages:

• Avoid inflammatory catch words and phrases.
• Avoid making themselves (newsmen) part of the story.
• Avoid making telephone calls to terrorists. Coloma further quoted the Center's primer urging reporters to “report any demands without propaganda and rhetoric.”