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BLOG: Photojournalists debunk doubts on ‘La Pieta’ picture

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Ellen T. Tordesillas

<p>Proof of the greatness of a creation is the emotion that it evokes, favorable or unfavorable.</p><p>Such is the picture of Jennelyn Olaires cradling the dead body of her partner, Michael Siaron, a 30-year-old pedicab driver, who was shot dead by motorcycle-riding men while he was waiting for passengers past midnight of July 22 in Pasay City.</p><p>Inquirer captioned the heart-wrenching photo by Raffy Lerma, “La Pieta,” after the famous sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti of the sorrowful Mary holding the dead body of Jesus.</p><p>Lerma’s photo was a medium shot showing a partial view of the background, a sign, “Bawal magsakay at magbaba ng pasahero dito” and cardboard sign with the word “pusher”, which news report said, was left by the killers.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/lifestyle/7/28/pieta-markz.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc"><em>Photo by Mark Saludes of UCAnews</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>A close-up version was posted online by photo journalist Mark Saludes of UCAnews.</p><p>Both Lerma&#x27;s and Saludes’ photos captured the anguish in the face of Olaires.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/07/25/20160723-drug-pusher-bhs.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc"><em>Photo by Basilio Sepe, ABS-CBN News</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>ABC-CBN’s Basilio Sepe took a shot of the sorrowful moment from a higher angle conveying the feeling of smallness and helplessness of the couple.</p><p>The picture unnerved President <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/25/16/what-duterte-said-on-photos-of-slain-drug-suspect" target="_blank">Duterte who belittled it as “drama”</a> in his first State of the Nation Address last Monday. </p><p>“Eh tapos nandiyan ka nakabulagta and you are portrayed in a broadsheet na parang Mother Mary cradling the dead cadaver of Jesus Christ. Eh yan yang mga yan magda-dramahan tayo dito,” Duterte said.</p><p>Doubts about the photograph were raised in social media.</p><p>Musician and advertising executive Dennis Garcia said he sensed “something fishy with these shots,” referring to the many versions of the July 22 killing.</p><p>“Why so many angles? staged with dramatic lighting? and no authorities in sight? Inquiring minds want to know, Inquirer...,” he asked.</p><p>Garcia further said, “in aid of destabilization?”</p><p>Sports broadcaster Manolo Chino Trinidad also voiced out his doubts about the too-perfect-to-be-true photograph with the following thoughts posted at 8:25 in his Facebook page.</p><div><em>“Ang tunay na drama sa likod ng litrato</em></div><div><em>“Kahit saan natin tignan ay walang paliwanag sa pagkamatay o pagpatay sa ating ka-anak. Ang drama dito ay kung paano nai-drawing ang kuha na sukat na sukat at may multiple angles pa.</em></div><div><em>“Eto ang imahe na sumasalamin sa katayuan ng Philippine Media---un klase na ginagamit para bilugin ang isipan ng sambayanan.”</em></div><p>Two hours after, Trinidad posted this:</p><div><em>“Binabawi ko ang sinabi ko kanina</em></div><div><em>“May nagpadala sa akin ng mensahe sa pamamagitan din nitong Facebook---isa sa mga tunay na tinataya ang buhay para lamang makakuha ng mga imahe na nailalaman ng ating mga pahayagan.</em></div><div><em>“Ang kuha na ito ni Raffy Lerma ng Philippine Daily Inquirer ay hindi raw drawing gaya ng aking nasabi kanina.</em></div><div><em>“Ang pakay daw dito ay makuha ang ‘honesty of the situation.’ Ang kumuha daw nito gaya ng ating mga photojournalists ay walang agenda kundi kunan ang napapanahong talakayan ng &quot;extra-judicial killings.&quot;</em></div><p>Trinidad shared the statement of Saludes, one of the photo-journalists who was at the scene of the crime.</p><p>Saludes explained that the lighting, “(It) was from floodlights (MMDA and Policemen who responded), ilaw ng mga TV Networks (ask GMA7, CNN, TV5 AND ABS-CBN who were there), flashlights from people who were looking at the crime scene (some were from cellphone flashlights), flash ng mga photojourn ng tabloids.”</p><p>Saludes further said: “Si Raffy Lerma walang dalang flash at hindi gumagamit ng flash tulad namin na nag-aral ng documentary photography. So sumasabay lahat ng walang ilaw sa kung anong available light.</p><p>“In fairness sa mga nakasama ko na photogs during that night, walang sumisigaw ng &#x27;ISA PA&#x27;. Lahat walang imik, hindi nagsasalita at nakikinig lang sa pagmamakaawa ng babae na tulungan ang asawa nya while trying to do our jobs.</p><p>“Totoo na maraming walang credibility sa industry natin, pero para gawing dahilan ito para ilayo ang issue ng extra-judicial killings eh hindi naman yata tama.</p><p>“To think na inilabas din namin ang identity ng subjects sa frame.</p><p>“Nakakahiya naman siguro for fellow PJs na andun kung idrowing yan ni Raffy, ni Noel Celis, ni Eli Sepe, ni Linus Escandor, ni Vincent Go o ni Mark Saludes habang kagat-kagat ng eksenang iyan ang pansin at ulirat namin.</p><p>“Isama na ang puso.</p><p>“I am standing for Raffy and the rest of the PJs who were there.</p><p>“I am standing for photojournalism.</p><p>“Sa presscon lang uso ang sumisigaw ng &#x27;ISA PA&#x27; o ng &#x27;ATRAS KA NG KONTI ATE.&#x27;</p><p>“We are not just photographers, we are Photojournalists.”</p><hr/><div> </div><p>Blog: <a href="www.ellentordesillas.com" target="_blank">www.ellentordesillas.com</a></p><p>E-mail: <a href="mailto:ellentordesillas@gmail.com">ellentordesillas@gmail.com</a></p>

<span style='color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; line-height: normal;'>Proof of the greatness of a creation is the emotion that it evokes, favorable or unfavorable.</span>

Proof of the greatness of a creation is the emotion that it evokes, favorable or unfavorable.