BY EVANGELINE DE VERA

THE Department of Justice yesterday issued an advisory to media practitioners to heed government calls not to interfere in legitimate police and military operations or face sanctions.

The advisory was issued more than a month after the Manila Peninsula hotel incident wherein about 50 media men covering the standoff, their hands tied with plastic thongs, were hauled to the Metro Manila police headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig after the incident.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said he issued the one-page advisory to serve as a formal "reminder" to media men and press organizations. He said it was not meant to send a chilling effect on the media.

The DOJ advisory was addressed to all chief executive officers of media networks, companies and press groups.

"Please be reminded that your respective companies, networks or organizations may incur criminal liabilities under the law, if anyone of your field reporters, news gatherers, photographers, cameramen and other media practitioners will disobey lawful orders from duly authorized government officers and personnel during emergencies which may lead to collateral damage to properties and civilian casualties in case of authorized police or military operations," the advisory said.

Gonzalez, in an interview, said media practitioners who will violate the advisory may be slapped with obstruction of justice, among others.

In the November 29 Peninsula standoff, some media practitioners refused to leave the hotel premises despite a warning by police and military authorities of an impending assault against the group of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

Trillanes, a Navy lieutenant when he led the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, holed out at the hotel for about six hours together with other mutiny leaders after walking out of a Makati court hearing their coup d’état case and marching to the hotel.

Eighteen civilians who joined the Trillanes group at the hotel were charged with rebellion but a court later dismissed the case for lack of probable cause.

Trillanes and the other military officers involved in the standoff are detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

A week after the standoff, government officials met with representatives of media organizations. But Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, during the dialogue, said media practitioners would be arrested again if they refuse to follow police orders in a situation similar to the Peninsula standoff.