Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manny Mogato — ‘In my early days, I used to be reckless’

For 30 years, Manny “Bok” Mogato coated the police and protection beats, and all the pieces from politics to international relations, sports activities, and leisure, finally bagging one in all journalism’s prime prizes, the Pulitzer in 2018, for his reporting on Duterte’s drug warfare together with 2 different Reuters journalists, Andrew Marshall and Clare Baldwin.

For Mogato it was time for him to “write all of it down,” and so he did, launching the autobiography It’s Me, Bok! Journeys in Journalism in October 2024.

Mogato informed Rappler, he needed to “write all of it down earlier than I neglect and impart my data to the youth, younger journalists, in order that they gained’t make the identical errors that I did.”

His profession has spanned many organizations together with the Journal group, The Manila Chronicle, The Manila Occasions, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun, and Rappler. Exterior of journalism, he additionally serves as a advisor for Cignal TV. 

Just lately, we sat down with Mogato to speak about his profession — a preview of what you may be capable of learn in his e-book — and select a couple of classes for at present’s journalists, in addition to his views on the nation at present.

You’ve coated so many beats. Which beat did you get pleasure from overlaying most? 

Manny Mogato: The navy. Technically, I used to be assigned to the navy protection beat for only some years, from 1987 to 1992. In early 1990, FVR (Fidel V. Ramos) was operating for president, and I used to be made to cowl his marketing campaign. When he gained, I used to be assigned to cowl the navy, and I went again to the protection beat as a result of I had so many buddies there.

I actually loved it and nonetheless get pleasure from it since you go to locations, to navy camps. After which I additionally coated the protection beat on the most important and turbulent interval in our historical past — once we confronted a number of coups.

You have got mellowed via the years as a reporter. You chronicled in your e-book that whenever you had been youthful, you had been studying the primary two years concerning the police beat after which transferred to a different publication.

How did your reporting fashion mellow, or did it develop? Did you grow to be extra curious or did you grow to be much less curious? Over time as a reporter, did you grow to be roughly thinking about what was taking place round you? How would you describe your course of then?

MM: Curiosity is the phrase I might use. So, from the beginning till now, I’m nonetheless interested by issues taking place round me. Thrilling issues, attention-grabbing issues. However when you learn the e-book, you’ll see I’ve mellowed loads as a result of I used to be very reckless throughout my youthful days.

I might go on assignments with out asking permission from my workplace. As an example, there was this hostage-taking incident in Zamboanga, the place a policeman held hostages of a number of officers, together with a normal and a colonel.

So once I realized that, I volunteered to go with out asking permission from my workplace. I solely had 100 pesos in my pocket. And so what I did, I noticed the troopers loading bullets into the containers and I picked up one field and carried it. 

So when the plane was already airborne, they came upon I used to be there, and so I simply sat someplace, and I coated the hostage disaster for 3 to 4 days with just one T-shirt.

Reporters in Zamboanga had been form sufficient to lend me T-shirts. Additionally they purchased me underpants. I slept within the headquarters disaster. After which later, eating places. Alavar is a very talked-about seafood restaurant in Zamboanga. I slept there. So when the disaster was over, I got here again. At the moment, the Chronicle and ABS-CBN had been sister firms.

Once I returned to Manila, my editor gave me a commendation — however trying again…I simply needed to get a narrative. 

So that’s what drives you.

MM: Sure, I’ve to get the story. I’ll do that by myself. I’ve to be forward of the others. In 1987, when a PAL flight to Baguio Metropolis crashed, killing all 50 folks on board, together with the crew and the passengers, I used to be despatched by my workplace to Baguio to cowl the incident.

However the crash website was in Benguet, within the mountain. So I went there to the mountains. After which the Igorots had been in that space, residing in that space. I used to be with different reporters and up mountaineering golf equipment. We determined to return as a result of we had been surrounded by the Igorots [who made it difficult for us to do our jobs]. Fortunately, the Lopezes had a helicopter and [we] had been the primary to take images.

Why are navy and protection your favourite beats to cowl?

MM: I began my profession in 1983, 1984, as a police reporter. So I do know my manner across the police. And I’ve many good buddies within the police. I noticed the unhealthy facet of the police, the darkish facet, corruption, and all the pieces.

I additionally noticed the navy in probably the most turbulent interval of our historical past once I was assigned to the navy. So I noticed good guys, I noticed horrible guys. I noticed all the pieces within the navy, and I made buddies with them. It’s thrilling to cowl the navy, the insurgency, the NPAs, and the secessionist motion. 

It’s a must to acquire the belief of the troopers of your sources. And when you don’t have belief, writing a narrative is inconceivable; it turns into a motherhood assertion. However when you go deeper, dig deeper, you make buddies, they belief you, you get extra tales, you get the within story, you get the background story, you get the highest secret tales. 

As a result of I made good buddies with senior officers throughout my time, they will present me confidential memorandums and confidential experiences, and I write about them. 

I’ve made buddies with so many of those police and navy males. It began after they had been lieutenants, then majors, after which generals. We’d exit collectively, have dinner or some drinks someplace, and focus on all the pieces, and they’ll let you know some secrets and techniques. 

Earlier than, you’d receives a commission 50 pesos as a journalist each week by the police. Finally, I needed to say no and keep away from teams of individuals partaking on this corruption. Reuters wouldn’t have employed me if I’d continued. 

With all the pieces that you’ve seen in your profession, what do you suppose is the precise state of humanity? Since you’ve seen hideous issues, I’m certain. And really corrupt issues. What do you consider folks? 

MM: Effectively, I can converse of the Filipino folks. The Filipinos are egocentric. They’re solely after their very own welfare. There is no such thing as a humanity within the Filipino mentality. They’re pulling one another down on a regular basis.

I went on a visit with my household to Japan in 2018. My son left his sling bag on the Shinkansen. So we returned to the prepare station and mentioned my son had left his bag there. The folks on the prepare station informed us that we might get the bag in Tokyo.

So we went to Tokyo and recovered the bag. The whole lot was intact, together with my cash, the password, all the pieces. So, there are crises, disasters, and ayuda (help) elsewhere. And the folks solely get what they want, no? Within the Philippines, that isn’t the case. In order that’s humanity [here]. It isn’t very nice for us Filipinos.

Is there something good?

MM: Everybody was sharing through the EDSA Revolution, sharing tales, and sharing all the pieces. They forgot themselves. They usually acted as a neighborhood identified in opposition to Marcos in 1986. That may be very telling and redeeming. However after that… [I can’t think of anything else that is good.]

What’s the one story you’re significantly keen on that you just did or one thing you want or are pleased with? 

MM: On medicine, my contribution to the Reuters sequence, and my police tales. Additionally, storm Yolanda in 2013. We left Manila on November 9, a day after the storm. We introduced many tools — generator units, large cameras, meals provide, all the pieces.

However the factor is, it’s important to journey gentle. There are aid items for the victims and different wants. After we arrived on the airport, we had been shocked. The whole lot was destroyed. So we needed to keep within the airport for the night time and sleep.

We slept underneath the rain your entire time for the subsequent three days. Upon arrival on the airport, we interviewed the police regional commander. Our report, I feel, moved the worldwide neighborhood to reply to the prolonged harm and casualties. My report that 10,000 folks died was nominated for the Society Publishers in Asia in Hong Kong. 

Every single day, we needed to stroll from the airport eight to 10 kilometers away, and alongside the best way, we noticed the individuals who had been residing exterior their houses. And there was looting throughout. 

There’s a half in your e-book the place you talked about the corruption of journalists, proper? And reporters. What do you imply by corruption? 

MM: Easy tokens are okay to just accept. Once I was with Reuters, its present coverage was that you can solely settle for presents as a lot as $50. Something greater than $50 is already a bribe. There are issues that you may purchase by yourself, issues you may afford. Different publications, like The New York Occasions, The Washington Submit, and Related Press, have a $0 present coverage. We now have this gift-giving tradition in our tradition. It’s Oriental. 

If you happen to will pay your individual manner, it is best to do it. 

Inform us extra about profitable the Pulitzer Prize.

MM: I didn’t count on to win this American-centric award. A lot of the winners are Individuals and American tales, American points. But it surely so occurred this was worldwide reporting. There have been so many different tales that had been definitely worth the win.

The story is concerning the Philippines and the drug warfare. And we didn’t count on a number of curiosity in that type of story. So maybe we had been simply fortunate that we had been awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Within the Society of Publishers in Asia, in Hong Kong, the identical tales had been additionally nominated for investigative journalism. So we weren’t anticipating that Pulizer would concentrate. 

The thought of the drug warfare was not the work of solely three folks: Andrew Marshal, Clare Baldwin, and me. No, it was a staff effort. 

What’s your particular contribution?

MM: Andrew and Clare had been immersed in several communities in Manila, Tondo, and Navotas Metropolis, interviewing victims and households and all people, everybody else. Then again, my function was on the police.

I bought the police feedback and official police feedback and likewise talked to police sources who would give us the within story — the within story of the drug warfare. So I’ve a very good good friend, a retired police normal who was from the intelligence service, and he knew all about this drug warfare — mechanics, plan, reward system, and all the pieces that they’re doing. So, he reported concerning the drug warfare. 

The precise drug warfare was what the late Basic Rodolfo Mendoza mentioned was a ruse as a result of Duterte was defending his personal drug cartel.

He had a report made for Catholic bishops. There was a plenary in January 2017, and the bishops needed to seek out out. So he made the report. His report was primarily based on 17 energetic cops who’re nonetheless in energetic service. So when he gave me this report, I confirmed it to my editors.

My editor mentioned, “Oh, that is good. This can be a good information for our story.” He bought this info from the police sources — subordinates, those that had been previously working for him, gave him the knowledge. So it was rumour, you recognize. So my editor mentioned that, “Why can’t you persuade him to introduce us to the actual folks concerned within the drug warfare?”

So, the overall and I had a number of interviews. Often, our interviews lasted till early morning. Father [Romeo] Intengan facilitated the interview. He was there to assist us. On the identical time, he was the one serving us espresso and biscuits all all through the night time.

So lastly, after, I feel, two or three conferences, he agreed that he would introduce us to cops. So we interviewed the police captain who was actually concerned within the killings, and within the operation, and within the drug warfare. So we bought a number of info from him. The data went not solely to 1 story however a number of different tales.

He was saying it was additionally the police who had been doing it.

Wrapping up — what do you consider the Philippines?

MM: The Philippines underneath former President Duterte was the worst I’ve seen. Worse than former President Ferdinand Marcos. Folks had been saying Marcos was the worst president due to martial regulation. He closed down the media, abolished Congress, and dominated by decree. I feel greater than 3,000 folks died, and 10,000 had been tortured and jailed.

However in three to 6 years underneath Duterte, greater than 30,000 folks died. No, he didn’t impose martial regulation, however there was a de facto martial regulation. The anti-terrorism regulation was very harsh, and he closed down ABS-CBN. It had a chilling impact on all media organizations. So, the impact was the identical as what Marcos did in 1972. 

We thought that Marcos Jr. would grow to be one other Duterte as a result of they had been allies. And we felt that he would observe the insurance policies of President Duterte, but it surely turned out he’s a lot better. Effectively, all the pieces after Duterte is nice. As a result of he set the bar so low.

The whole lot is rosy — even when Marcos isn’t doing sufficient as a result of the financial system is horrible. Inflation is excessive, unemployment is excessive, international direct investments are down, and the peso is sort of 60 to a greenback. Nonetheless, the folks nonetheless reward Marcos for his actions within the West Philippine Sea. I feel the folks love him for that. And the variety of killings within the drug warfare has gone down. There are nonetheless killings, however the quantity has actually gone so low, I might say about 300 within the first two years. 

Why did you write your e-book, It’s Me, Bok! Journeys in Journalism?

MM:  I’ve been writing snippets of my experiences on Fb. Many buddies had been saying, ‘Why don’t you write a e-book?’ together with Secretary [of National Defense] Gilberto Teodoro, who was keen on studying my snippets.

In my early days, I used to be reckless as a reporter. I don’t need the youthful reporters to try this. And no story is value writing in case you are risking your life. 

I wish to go away behind a legacy, and I do know that my reminiscence will fail me sooner slightly than later. It took me solely three months to put in writing the e-book. It’s very uncooked. There can be a second printing. I wish to polish the e-book and develop a number of the occasions. – Rappler.com