22 February 2006
Opinion: Deception
WINDOWS
Gabriel L. Cardinoza
Until now, the controversial photo showing Alaminos City Mayor Nani Braganza seated beside President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the opening of the Private Schools Athletic Association national games in Lingayen town is still the talk of the town, and lately, of the cyberspace.
This is because the photo, which was published in the sports page of the Philippine Star two weeks ago, was digitally tampered. Those who covered the PRISAA opening – and the photos taken by other photographers – attest that Nani was never seated beside the President. He was in fact in the upper tier of that grandstand and was seated beside Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim at that time. The President then was sandwiched by Gov. Victor Agbayani (to her right) and PRISAA chair, Dr. Emmanuel Angeles.
What was more surprising is that the photo came out despite the Philippine Star’s having two photographers during the event. Outraged and apprehensive, Star photographer Cesar Ramirez immediately called the attention of his editor to complain about the “wrong” photo and to seek an explanation why it happened. Cesar had feared that he might be accused by the governor of deliberately erasing him in the photo. In a chance meeting with the governor during the observance of the PNP Anniversary at the police provincial office that day, Cesar was told: “O, baka putulin na naman ang ulo ko.”
Cesar and colleague Eva Visperas were also hoping to have a confrontation with Nani, who was one of those who were to receive an award that day, but he was a no show. Until now, Nani has been silent about it.
The discussions on the publication of the tampered photo had revolved on media ethics and on the liability of Nani Braganza or the one who edited the photo and sent it to the Star. Should the Star issue an erratum, or should it apologize for the mistake? Should the Star simply blacklist the sender of the photo or should it file a criminal case?
Clearly, the photo not only smacks of bad taste but it was an absolute deception. Was it meant to project that Nani was still very close to the President when in fact he has fallen from her graces? Was it meant to project that Nani will be the next Pangasinan governor?
Baguio-based blogger Frank Cimatu (http://unholyhours.blogspot.com) commented:
“The weird thing was that Braganza used to be PGMA's Press Secretary. Did he allow these things to happen then? He was also member of the Spice Boys, PGMA's favorite boy toys.
“Braganza is reportedly interested in Agbayani's job. Hmmmmmmm. This is the first step? This reminds me of David King's book, "The Commissar Vanishes" which is about photo manipulation during the time of Stalin in Russia.
“This is what David King wrote: "Skillful photographic retouching for reproduction depended, like any craft before the advent of computer technology, on the skill of the person carrying out the task and the time she or he had to complete it. But why was the standard of retouching in Soviet books and journals often so crude? Did the Stalinists want their readers to see that elimination had taken place, as a fearful and ominous warning? Or could the slightest trace of an almost vanished commissar, deliberately left behind by the retoucher, become a ghostly reminder that the repressed might yet return?"
Interesting parallelism. But to my mind, the tampered photo exposed that Nani is a political lameduck in Pangasinan. If you’re strong, why need a President to lean on?
Nani should issue a public apology and fire whoever was responsible in putting him in an embarrassing situation.
Gabriel L. Cardinoza
Until now, the controversial photo showing Alaminos City Mayor Nani Braganza seated beside President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the opening of the Private Schools Athletic Association national games in Lingayen town is still the talk of the town, and lately, of the cyberspace.
This is because the photo, which was published in the sports page of the Philippine Star two weeks ago, was digitally tampered. Those who covered the PRISAA opening – and the photos taken by other photographers – attest that Nani was never seated beside the President. He was in fact in the upper tier of that grandstand and was seated beside Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim at that time. The President then was sandwiched by Gov. Victor Agbayani (to her right) and PRISAA chair, Dr. Emmanuel Angeles.
What was more surprising is that the photo came out despite the Philippine Star’s having two photographers during the event. Outraged and apprehensive, Star photographer Cesar Ramirez immediately called the attention of his editor to complain about the “wrong” photo and to seek an explanation why it happened. Cesar had feared that he might be accused by the governor of deliberately erasing him in the photo. In a chance meeting with the governor during the observance of the PNP Anniversary at the police provincial office that day, Cesar was told: “O, baka putulin na naman ang ulo ko.”
Cesar and colleague Eva Visperas were also hoping to have a confrontation with Nani, who was one of those who were to receive an award that day, but he was a no show. Until now, Nani has been silent about it.
The discussions on the publication of the tampered photo had revolved on media ethics and on the liability of Nani Braganza or the one who edited the photo and sent it to the Star. Should the Star issue an erratum, or should it apologize for the mistake? Should the Star simply blacklist the sender of the photo or should it file a criminal case?
Clearly, the photo not only smacks of bad taste but it was an absolute deception. Was it meant to project that Nani was still very close to the President when in fact he has fallen from her graces? Was it meant to project that Nani will be the next Pangasinan governor?
Baguio-based blogger Frank Cimatu (http://unholyhours.blogspot.com) commented:
“The weird thing was that Braganza used to be PGMA's Press Secretary. Did he allow these things to happen then? He was also member of the Spice Boys, PGMA's favorite boy toys.
“Braganza is reportedly interested in Agbayani's job. Hmmmmmmm. This is the first step? This reminds me of David King's book, "The Commissar Vanishes" which is about photo manipulation during the time of Stalin in Russia.
“This is what David King wrote: "Skillful photographic retouching for reproduction depended, like any craft before the advent of computer technology, on the skill of the person carrying out the task and the time she or he had to complete it. But why was the standard of retouching in Soviet books and journals often so crude? Did the Stalinists want their readers to see that elimination had taken place, as a fearful and ominous warning? Or could the slightest trace of an almost vanished commissar, deliberately left behind by the retoucher, become a ghostly reminder that the repressed might yet return?"
Interesting parallelism. But to my mind, the tampered photo exposed that Nani is a political lameduck in Pangasinan. If you’re strong, why need a President to lean on?
Nani should issue a public apology and fire whoever was responsible in putting him in an embarrassing situation.
