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Theoretical Communications Plan for an Accused Mass Murderer

I. Objective

• Soften media and public perception of and antagonism towards the

accused to for the legal team.

• Achieve a better appreciation of the cultural context surrounding the

harmful incident, to neutralize the hasty condemnation of the accused.

• Present a more balanced perspective of victim in relation to accused, to

neutralize the "villain" image of accused and the "hero" image of victim.

• In sum, create the environment for a refreshed view of the incident to aid
the legal team in advocating to the DOJ and make public and media
perception more manageable.

II. Strategy

1. CULTURAL ORIENTATION

a. Establish the cultural environment in which both accused and victim have
been existing, including the continuing competitive clashes between the
two clans; make the media and the public realize that in a community
where warlordism is a way of life, it is not unusual for incidents to occur
that do harm to innocent by-standers and the community in general,
despite every effort to prevent them.

b. Additionally, we may recast the conflict between accused and victim within
the context of:

i. History. Recent history of the accused and victim’s domain

is one of continuous conflict dating back centuries – where
both parties are guilty of their share of bloodshed.

ii. Geo-political considerations where US and China interests in

the domain of accused and victim required the displacement
of accused as overlord and putting in his place the victim,
who is more supportive of US and China Interests.
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c. Make the media and the target publics realize that there is really no hero-
villain dichotomy in that cultural environment and that, in the context of
that culture, there has always been a tradition of fierce clan loyalties;

d. Appeal to the media and the target publics to understand and tolerate this
cultural environment and the community.

e. Prevail upon the target publics and the media not be too hasty in
condemning the accused, in the context of the cultural environment.

f. In this regard, solicit the support of a moderate representative of the

community whose opinion will be respected and whose appeal will be
listened to without hostility.

2. An Independent View of the Incident

a) Encourage an enterprise investigative undertaking by an independent third

party concerning the circumstances surrounding the incident; e.g., is there
more to the massacre than meets the eye? Was it just a convenient ply for
victim to rid himself of relatives who were more liabilities than assets?

b) In this investigative undertaking, it will be revealed that, in the course of

the battle between accused and victim, the latter has been responsible for
many incidents causing harm to the Muslim community; this should
effectively neutralize the "hero" image of victim and soften public attitudes
toward accused.

c) Translate the findings of this investigation into a book and a documentary

for public release.

III. Target Audience

• Media

• Civil society/sectors of influence

• General public

• DOJ
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IV. Key Messages

• It is important to understand Mindanao’s cultural context to realize that

there are neither heroes nor villains in its clan feuds.

• There is more than meets the eye in the case. Let the accused be
perceived in a more objective manner.

V. Tacticals

Phase 1: Recasting the conflict within the appropriate cultural, geo-

political, and peace and order context. (Period 4 months)

Research.

Conduct Focus Group Discussion for better understanding of attitude and

prejudices towards culture and heritage in Muslim Mindanao, while
subliminally steering the discussion towards accused/ victim.

Quantitative Survey on the same issue.

White Paper

Based on case study delivered by client, write and circulate a white paper
for foreign circulation. This will serve as a trigger document and primer for
more in-depth research.

Book.

The writing of a book which casts the conflict between accused and victim
within a historical, cultural and geo-political context.

As one of its main draws, the book will bare revelations about victim.

It will also present a chronology of clan conflicts through the centuries,

locating the conflicts participated in by the victim and accused within this
historical context. It will also show that members of the accused’s clan
were also massacred or murdered as part of a persisting vendetta.
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The book will be written by a foreign author, preferably from the UK and
with the proper credentials (either a journalist who has worked in the
domain of accused and victim, or an academic specializing in studies on
areas in conflict.)

Video documentary

The production of a documentary will draw heavily from the book, but in
addition to the revelations and the recasting of the conflict, it will be more
effective in humanizing the accused.

The documentary, instead of focusing on the book, can perhaps be about

the making of the book – a sort of “The Making of”.

BBC or Al Jazeera will be targeted to produce and air the documentary.

Media Approach

Media will be primed and made receptive to the issues of conflict

resolution under the new administration and the responsibility of media in
conflict reporting.

Key Messages:

(1) The unabated conflict in Mindanao is the real killer.

(2) Journalists covering places of conflict knowingly endanger

themselves and are in no place to blame government for what
befalls them. Moreover, a case can be made to the effect that
those who lost their lives were partisans and accomplices – not
objective observers – therefore, becoming themselves targets.

Online campaign:

Critique of media’s coverage of accused.

Circulation of a rap sheet pointed against victim.

Circulation of articles and various media softening the image

of accused.
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Special Report:

• Possible engagement of National Union of Journalists of the

Philippines (NUJP) and other cause oriented journalist
groups as partners in conflict resolution – calling for a higher
standard of journalism.

Phase 2: Surfacing of the video documentary, book, forums (Period 2

months)

• Announcing the release of the book. Articles that drum-beat the

book’s release, it may be introduced at first as an in-depth study of
cultures in conflict.

• Online campaign to generate a buzz about the book

• Moderate Muslim personality to write an article, do radio/ TV and

forum guestings as a resource person on conflict in Mindanao.

• The airing of the video documentary a week prior to the release of

the book.

• Forums: Established communication group to host a forum on the

book.

Phase 3: Media operations (columns, news, online, broadcast) (Period 1

year and a half)

• Main media conduits to be used will be tabloids, AM radio, and

broadsheet columnists.

• Serialization of the book. (Possibly in top 2 main broadsheets)

• Main tracks for media messaging:

Softening of the accused’s image. This involves the release and

publication of articles, photo stories and video aimed humanizing
the accused.
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Adjusting victim’s image. This involves the release and publication

of articles, photo stories, and video aimed at casting victim as not
totally without sin – just as bad or even worse than accused.

News and commentary on the progress of the case. This involves

the release and publication of articles, photo stories, and video
pitched in favor of the defense.

Tying up media detractors in ethical discussions. Partisanship in

conflict reporting. Sensationalism in press coverage (gory pictures
shown).

• Online campaign: Viral spread of videos on Youtube, photos on

Facebook Fanpages, and articles through blogs.

• Special Operation: Distribution of DVDs of abridged documentaries,

dubbed in local Tagalog as well as Mindanao and Visayan dialects.