While acknowledging that formal requests are preferable to demands and outright bans, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines backs the Malacañang Press Corps on the Presidential Communications Office’s bid to replace reporters it has cited for breaking protocol and attempting to have an “ambush” interview with the President.

This incident is an opportunity for the Palace to look into why reporters would have to resort to “ambush” interviews in the first place.

It may be that they need more information than is given at briefings or in advisories, or that access to the President is often limited to managed press events and sit-down interviews with select journalists.

In any case, it would be more productive for the PCO to arrange regular press briefings or conversations with the President instead of trying to replace reporters whose questions and actions it may disagree with.