The Fallacy of #CoryLeaks

In The Opinion column of the online 'newspaper' written by Carlos Munda, he made a headline that is sure to make traffic to his particular article tip to his favor. The Headlines as shown below "Declassified CIA Document reveals Cory Aquino's 1989 request for US "airstrikes" against Filipino soldiers." Which is not only unsubstantiated, but if you read further down the line on the document he published from the CIA declassified document, it clearly is the "The Los Angeles Times and the Wahington Post reported last weekend that the Aquino government asked for air strikes but the US officials refused because of political risk in killing Filipinos" Ramos told that the request is "in very general terms" as he puts it in his words.

Further more, he did not include the December 1,1989 document, which is also in that CIA library of declassified information. in which it should also be considered because he is not making a commentary and opinion on the "current events" but on the history that was made already. It is a fallacy to conclude one's action based on a single document alone. I call it irresponsible and biased view of things to favor his agenda. 

In the December 1 document, merely three days before the document he published and commented on, it says 

" The situation in Manila continues to be fluid. Press reporting indicated that rebel helicopter gunships have bombed Constabulary Headquarters at Camp Crame and AFP Headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo, and Cavite Naval Base is reportedly in rebel hands" 

This kind of situation should also be considered on his op-ed section since the report on the document which he refers to is after this event. Further it was said that the Australian, Canadian, Spanish and French governments have all issued strong statements of support. 

If you were the president at that time and almost all your army and navy strong holds are attacked and subjected to the rebel hands, what will you do then? Resign? and surrender it to the rebel? or ask the help of those willing to help you on the matters? Will you stand or just clip your wings? I do believe that the action on that matter by the late President is an action she deemed that time to be the best action she and his (remaining) generals can come up with. 

His kind of op-ed is therefore a biased reporting and not a good sign of being a good reporter on that matter by not diving deeper into the issues discussed. 

The bad side of this is that people mostly just read the headlines that you write  and if is somehow "catchy" and "controversial" and "conspiracy theory" people of the Philippines will love that story especially the facebook page of Ms Mocha Uson blog which has something like 4 Million followers who some of them blindly follow her lead as a "news source" but it is clear on her page that she is indeed not a journalist!

I implore all the journalist to be responsible for the op-ed they publish as to not damage people just for the sake of readership of their post. 

Final words. BE RESPONSIBLE IN YOUR REPORT.