MANILA, Philippines - Top officials of major broadcast news organizations have been summoned to next Tuesday's Senate inquiry into the media coverage of the August 23 hostage crisis.
 
Sen. Gregorio Honasan, chair of the committees on public order and mass media, said invitations have been sent to officials of television networks ABS-CBN, GMA Network and TV5, particularly those in charge of news operations.
 
TV5 correspondent and RMN radio anchor Erwin Tulfo and his co-anchor Michael Rogas will also be invited to the hearing. Tulfo and Rogas interviewed the hostage-taker, Rolando Mendoza, during the crucial hours of the crisis.
 
Widely criticized for their blow-by-blow live coverage, broadcast media will be the focus of the Senate inquiry. In a manifestation on September 1, Sen. Joker Arroyo said Congress has a responsibility to oversee broadcast media because their franchises come from it.
 
In a forum on Thursday, Honasan cited provisions of the law granting franchises to TV networks. A section of Republic Act 8608, which granted a franchise to RGMA Network, says networks must "cut off the air the speech, play, act or scene … if the tendency thereof is to propose and/or incite treason, rebellion, and sedition."
 
The law, however, does not mention penalties and does not specify a hostage-taking situation.
 
Asked about cancelling media franchises, Honasan said it is out of the question.
 
"Babalik tayo sa issue ng self-regulation. Self-regulation is the best," Honasan told reporters.
 
He said it is never lawmakers' intention to regulate media.
 
"You are overprotective of your profession," Honasan said. "We want to make sure that you have discussed this already among yourselves through your organizations so that we can also conclude that you are speaking with one voice in an attempt to impose self-regulation."
 
Although senators are not inclined to create any piece of legislation regulating the media, Honasan said the hearing would still serve a purpose.
 
"This is preparatory to a series of hearings on a more important measure: the Freedom of Info (FOI) bill," he said.
 
Honasan clarified that the hearing will not derail the passage of the bill, but will only help modify or strengthen certain provisions. He could not identify specific provisions for now.
 
Aside from media coverage, the Senate will not investigate the hostage crisis itself so as not duplicate the probe of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee, which finished its marathon hearings on Wednesday.
 
"We cannot just jump the gun and conduct our own hearings until the formal investigation report is submitted," Honasan said.
 
Depending on the final investigation report, senators will decide whether to conduct another similar hearing or not, he added.