The hundreds of millions in "maletas" allegedly given to a media operator has paid its dividends.
Major media outlets kept their silence when 18 former members of the Philippine Marines who were assigned to secure cash deliveries to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and other high officials, faced media yesterday (Februar 24) to tell what they know of the so-called "maleta" issue.
An expose equivalent to the explosion of Mount Pinatubo failed to get the spaces of major newspapers, including the Inquirer, Star, Manila Bulletin and Manila Standard.
Not only that, a story story of how billions in "maletas" were delivered to congressmen, senators and top govt officials was barely mentioned in broadcast media.
The intended media blackout worked. But not totally in this age of social media.
Social media was on fire. The testimony of the "18 Marines" spread fast and furious, frustrating the intended news blackout.
Even as the hundreds of millions failed to kill the story, what was revealed is the level of control by political families and the oligarchy of mainstream media.
Even Bilyonaryo News Channel, the most active "exposer of corruption," obviously followed instructions to not give space to the story.
How could they miss so big a story?
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