Oral History of Jose Jaime (Nonoy) Espina

August 16, 2008

Interviewers: Gianina Densing and Nicole Park

Densing: Good afternoon, sir. This is Gia Densing and Nicole Park for the Intprin Oral History. Sir, could you introduce yourself?

Espina: I’m Nonoy Espina. I’m a journalist. I’m a breaking news editor of the INQUIRER.net

Q. So, to begin, can you describe the circumstances leading to your employment to the newspaper?

A. INQUIRER.net? Well, someone told me they had an opening and I was looking for a better job. So I grabbed it. I emailed the editor in chief and I asked if the opening was available. He asked if he could interview me but I was back home in the province, kaya sabi ko: “I can’t buy a ticket right now. Can we do it online?” And he said: “Sure, fine.” So, the interview was on Y!M. Naka camera. “Hello”. Well, I think it was a cool move on my part- accidental daw kasi. Pero, we’re online, right? I think it worked. About a week after, I got the job.

Q. When you were working with a newspaper, the newspaper you worked longest with, what was it?

A. Today. I worked there for ten years.



Q. Could you describe the specific location? Like, where was it? Where was it based?

A. Today was based in Makati. It was first along EDSA, sa Jaka building. And eventually, they moved to Pasong Tamo.

Q. What about its physical appearance? Like, the office.

A. I remember the Jaka office, I was never in Pasong Tamo. The Jaka office was kinda… It was cramped, really. [It was] Just one long row-- rows, of workstations. I think we were the first paper, the only paper I think, up to now, that used all Mac [computers].

Q. Who was the publisher?

A. Publisher was Teddy Boy Locsin. He’s congressman now.

Q. How about for INQUIRER.net?

A. Well, our president is Paolo Prieto… whose family owns PDI also.

Q. Who’s your Editor?

A. Today, our editor-in-chief back then was Maria Lourdes Molina-Fernandez. Chuchay Fernandez.

Q. Who were your colleagues?

A. Colleagues? My god, there were a lot of colleagues in Today. My first, nation editor at Today was Elmer Ccato. He’s at the UN right now with the Philippine Consulate. I almost replaced him but when he left Today, I was newly rep’d so I can’t take the job so, pinalitan siya ni Louie Resurreccion. I worked with a lot of people with Today. And I basically covered every reporter. I was like a roving guy. During the first ARMM elections we formed a team and went there everyday.

Q. How many hours in a typical week?

A. Typical week? We never kept hours anyway. It’s basically like, you don’t have time to 'time out.' It’s like we’re on call 24/7. Whenever something breaks, it breaks, so we gotta be there.

Q. Did you ever have holidays?

A Holidays? No.

Q. Do you have a deadline?

A. Deadlines, for newspapers… The deadlines were like, 3 PM. You had to have your stories, at least lined up. Pero ako, I’m a quick worker, so usually by 3 PM tapos na story ko-- unless something broke up. And, during those days… Well, Today did a lot of banners using provincial stories. We’re probably the newspaper then that gave the broadest coverage to the provinces. I remember the paper having to re-mat, actually, using provincial stories-- using my stories.

Q. May we ask about your salary?

A. Salary? Mm, you’ll never grow rich unless you do the hanky-panky. Actually, to be frank about it, majority of journalists don’t earn their living with this job. No. It’s true. That’s why you have to be wise. You try to…

Q. Were you ever a cub reporter?

A. Cub? No. It’s like I jumped into the fray. The cub system usually works [in the] newspaper staff na mismo-- from the offices. Pero today, it’s not so common anymore kasi it’s… Sayang. Because it’s a good system to, you know, develop reporters.

Q What was your first beat?

A My first beat was general. I worked in the provinces so everything goes. I covered everything goes. I never had a beat.

Q. Up to now?

A. Up to now. Well right now, I don’t have a beat because I’m at the desk. I’m the boss.

Q. When you were working at Today, or even in other newspapers, did you have any memorable editors?

A. Hm… Memorable editors. No names. Eh 'pag masama sasabihin ko, bakit naman papangalanan ko pa siya… [laughs] Well, there was this one editor back during my Globe days, talagang ano... He was a character, really. He was really… He’d probably the stereotypical… He was like J. Jonah Jameson. Very cranky guy. Back in those days, no internet yet-- it was even before fax, my god. I remember fax. Wala pang Fax noon. So we’d call in our stories. We’d go through the operator: “Hello, operator…”. And then, syempre collect, and then he’d come on. And then, even before you start dictating your story, he’d be cussing you out na: “Mga walang hiya, anong story mo?” ba-ba-bam. He’s funny.

Q. How was he when it came to accuracy?

A. He was a very, very good craftsman. Although there was a story one time he kinda screwed up. It was supposed to be a scoop. Tapos, because the way he did it, napunta sa second page, saying 'yung story na 'yun.

Q. Anong story?

A. It was about… It was during Cory’s time, if I remember. I think it was ‘89 thereabouts… Well, they were re-negotiating their US bases and one of the US senators came with a… They were trying to do a secret deal, actually, to keep the bases. It was like a mini-martial plan. [The] government of the US were trying put it on the wraps. So this guy was running around the country, consulting people. No one was talking about it. No one knew what was in it. And then he went to Bacolod and talked to a Bishop, who is a very, very outspoken human rights advocate. He was-- he’s dead now. And while I was listening to the radio, the bishop comes on and he’s saying: I have a copy of the bill. Ooh! I called him up-- “Can I come over?” and we’re very good friends so he’s just: “Sige, come.” So I go there. He was talking to two editors and then someone called him also because someone else heard on the radio, and he says: “No, I was joking, I don’t have a copy.” And then he told the editors: “Okay, I’ll see you later.” And then he gave me the copy. I got the scoop. Pero, 'yun, it was badly edited, so… And it was a really big story because that aid package was basically anchored on keeping the bases. That was, like, a major issue of the day. So it was badly edited, so… Well, walang nangyari sa story.

Q. What was your editor’s attitude towards deadlines?

A. Deadlines? Hmm. Most of my editors have been… Well, Chuchay has been my editor for, like, the longest time. Deadlines are deadlines but flexible din naman kasi. Well, sometimes, you think the story’s done-- and then something else breaks and you have to… Pero there does have to be a cut-off time, especially for newspapers, because you have to go press pa and all. I remember sending stories as late as seven, eight. Hindi pa re-mat yun. Those stories still made the first edition.

Q. How about you? How are you towards your staff regarding deadlines?

A. Right now we don’t have deadlines yet, kasi every second is a deadline. We’re 24/7. We’re breaking news, no. We break the news as close to when it happens as possible. As soon as possible, yeah. And, especially if it’s a really, really big story-- a breaking story, like for example the Batasan bombing or the Glorietta explosion. I kinda tell them na, na: Forget about writing. Phone it in. Because word of mouth is still the fastest. It’s actually a skill I learned, when I was starting out. Sometimes, you actually don’t have time to write anymore. So you have to phone in the story and dictate it, as a story. Without notes, without anything. So, it’s an acquired skill actually, but you can learn it. It’s a really neat skill that, you know, comes in very handy. So one of my reporters is very good at it.



Q. How about colleagues? Did you ever work with anybody important or memorable?

A. Yeah, yeah... memorable colleagues. A lot, yeah, a lot of colleagues. Especially back then, sa Bacolod. We've been through a lot, my collegues and I. Very hair-raising experiences. Oh, well, kase nga maraming threats sa journalists eh. I almost lost my life.

Q. Really? When? Kelan po?

A. Funny enough, it was military intelligence. Talagang hinarang ako sa kalye.

Q. On the more positive side, could you talk about your best memories as a reporter and correspondent? And what is the best thing about being a journalist?

A. The best thing about writing, really, is the people you meet. And I don't mean rich people; ordinary folks. One of my best stories, actually, is about my years in the field. Consider me a reporter of 20 years... 20 years in the field. There was one time... I was going back I just came from an interview with the NPA, so I was walking back to catch a bus. And I was caught in a thunderstorm, sa bundok pa man din, so it was dark. So I saw this kubo... actually 'di pa nga kubo eh, you'd probably call it a shed lang-- parang shed lang. So, ika nga... nagpasilong ako. And then someone asks sa loob, "Sino 'yan?" "Nakiki-silong lang po, reporter po." The old man lifts the sliding door... the old man stuck his head out, said, "Come in." Pasok ako... and his wife had just gotten up, and it was really cramped-- dampa lang talaga sa loob. Then he told his wife to make coffee... kwento-kwento. "Anong ginagawa mo?" "Interview lang po." Well, of course he knew the NPA were there... 'yun, kwento-kwento. Then while we were having coffee, he asked if I had eaten. I actually hadn't eaten... Pero gutom na nga ako. So the wife goes, gets this basket hanging on the door, takes the basket, brings it over, opens it... and inside were thirty slices of a root crop we call Biga. It's like... it's like Gabi, pero roots. Some slices of it, and then three tuyo. No, two! There were two. Tiningnan ko, sabi ko, "'Eto pagkain nila, binibigay pa." Sabi ko, "Sige po, thank you, kayo na lang." Then without a word, they both take a tuyo, halve it, and start to eat. So nahiya na 'rin ako, nakikain na ako. And there I spent the night. I offered them money, but they wouldn't take it. "Just go safely," they said. Best meal of my life. It's stuff like that that make it worth it. Meeting people like that. I hope someday I'll write a book about it.

Q. You're trying to write a book, sir?

A. I hope so.

Q. Okay, what significant events have you ever covered?

A. A lot. Probably the first ARMM election was a significant event... pero even more significant was the scoop I got while I was there. It wasn't even a big scoop, actually, because the two major networks were there during the interview. Yeah, ABS and GMA. Pero 'wag mo ikakalat 'to, baka magalit sa akin 'yung kaibigan ko. Pero anyway, there we were, interviewing Murad-- he's the chairman of the MILF, but back then he was vice chairman for Military Affairs-- and also Jaffar, his Political Affairs vice chairman. So we're out there, interviewing them. How many guns do you have? How many men do you have? Where do you get your guns from? Stuff like that. So to be honest I was kind of getting bored with the questions. So when I found the break in the questions, nakisingit na ko, sabi ko, "Can I asked something?" And he said, "Sure." So sabi ko, "Sir, di lang naman kayo ang rebelde sa Mindanao. There's the Abu Sayyaf, there's the NPA... anong naaya niyo sa kanila?" Then I got my scoop, because he said, "We have a tactical alliance with the NPA." Oh! So I thought, Man! Story, story, story! So when we got back, takbo na kami! After that question, actually, we almost... it was all we could take not to just run off kase it would be impolite... because they asked us to stay. But when we got back, I actually gave a story na agad, sent it. Nung gabi we were actually expecting to see it on the evening news. I mean, you know, that's a big story! So we monitored the evening news; nothing came out. Sabi ko, "Well, guys, this is our scoop!" [laughs] Na-byline ako 'nun. The government was really shaken by that, that headline-- 'MILF says they have a tactical alliance with the NPA.'

Q. That was your headline for the day?

A. Yeah.

Q. Did you ever cover anything during the Martial law?

A. 'Di masyado, because I was just starting out by then. Back home sa province, mostly human rights stories, the struggles of the people back then.

Q. How about during EDSA I?

A. EDSA I, I think I was on a break. No, I... yeah I was on a break. I wasn't a journalist then. I was playing in a band. [laughs]

Q. How about more recent events? Oakwood? Manila Penn? Did you ever cover anything like that?

A I was editing while the Manila Penn thing was breaking out. It was just a block, two blocks away from my office.

Q. In Makati?

A. Yeah. That was fun. There was this... Our police reporter got caught inside the hotel; na-tear gas siya, she was almost arrested. Our defense reporter was outside, he was talking from outside. So we're talking on the phone, and suddenly I hear a machine gun firing in the background. Rat-at-at-at-at-at! "Joel, Joel, Joel! What's happening? What's happening?" "Ah, sir, nagpapaputok lang po." "Okay, sige, mag-ingat ka." And then he shouts-- can I use a four-letter word? Because that's what he said, bahala na professor niyo. You can edit it out later. Actually sabi niya, "Oh f***!" And then the phone went silent right there! Sabi ko, "Jesus Christ! Joel, Joel talk to me, god d*** it, talk to me!" Wala, walang sumagot for like five minutes. Talagang panic mode na 'ko, "Alam mo, 'pag namatay ka, papatayin kita, g***!" After a while he got back on his feet: "Sir, naghanap lang po ng cover!" Sabi ko, "T****! Whatever you do, talk to me, g***!" That is actually a rule of thumb: you have to maintain contact. Because...'di mo alam nangyayari, diba? 'Eto naman 'yung police reporter namin, while the action was happening, tine-tear gas na, tumatawag na siya: "Sir, sir, sir, pumapasok na tear gas, naluluha na 'ko!" [laughs] Pretty weird ah!

Q. But she still got the story to you?

A. Oh, she got the story. She was fantastic. In fact, nung nagkakahulihan na, she phoned and said she'd been dragged in line. And then nagrereklamo siya sa police, sinabi niya, "Dahan-dahan lang tayo kase ang sakit eh, tear gas eh." Binuhusan ba naman siya ng tubig sa mukha! Parang tinapunan ng tubig, ganoon. Tumatawag siya, naiiyak: "Binuhusan ako ng tubig!" [laughs] Sabi ko, "Saan kayo dadalhin?" "Sa Bicutan daw." "Eh nakapila ka na ba?" "Sir naghihinay-hinay lang ako pakitid." [laughs] Sabi ko, "O sige, baka makatas ka-- tumakas ka!" Nakatakas nga siya...

Q. Sino po ito?

A. Si Thea Alberto.

Q. Thea Alberto?

A. Yeah. Maya-maya tawag na siya. "O Tea nakikita kita sa TV, ikaw ba 'yan, 'yang nasa likod ng column?" "Oo ako 'yan, 'yung naka-tungtong." "T****! Baka makita ka pa!"

Q. Saan na po ito?

A. Sa Pen. Nakalabas na siya 'nun. Sabi niya, "Okay lang sir, pinalabas na ko ni General Barias eh." Kase nakita nga siya ni Barias. Eh kaibigan namin si Barias, nakita siya, sinabihan siya, "Uy ano ba ginagawa mo dito? Lumabas ka na!" Eh ayun, nakapuslit siya. Sabi ko, "Sayang, sana nagpakuha ka ng litrato nang naka-handcuffs."

Q. How about ngayon po, kinocover niyo po ngayon 'yung talks with...

A. MILF? Mostly we depend on the PDI network of correspondents, 'cause they're on the ground. But yeah, when it comes to the talks we also cover... the Malacanang reporters cover... si Joel, sa defense, he's also covering that side. We have contacts with MILF, we can call them any time.

---------------
Jose Jaime Espina was born on March 8, 1962 in Manila. He studied the humanities at the University of the Philippines. At the time of the interview, he was Breaking News Editor for INQUIRER.net, and deputy secretary general of the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines.