Last Saturday’s banner headline of the Philippine Star, quoting Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary (PCOOS) Herminio Coloma Jr., proclaimed, “Palace: No credible ISIS threat in Phl (Philippines).”

The headline faithfully reflected the quote attributed to PCOOS Coloma. But in proclaiming the absence of an ISIS threat, the non-story pushed an open door--it denied an allegation which no one has ever made. This was not just incompetent spokesmanship or incompetent journalism, but both.