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June 30, 2008
College editors join outcry vs court ruling on Manila Pen siege
MANILA, Philippines - A group of college editors on Monday joined the media outcry against the ruling of the Makati Regional Trial Court favoring government and security officials who allegedly mistreated media practitioners covering the Manila Peninsula Hotel siege in November last year.
In a statement, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) said it is “greatly disappointed” with the court’s decision to dismiss the civil case filed by the media men who covered the Manila Peninsula Hotel siege.
“The CEGP views the Makati RTC's decision… as a blatant disrespect and disregard for press freedom which could set a precedent for future coverages,” the group said.
In a decision issued last week, Judge Reynaldo Laigo of the Makati RTC-Branch 56 said the allegations of the media men in their complaint did not constitute sufficient cause of action for damages against the defendants to merit further prosecution of the case.
The case stemmed from the alleged manhandling of reporters, photographers and cameramen, most of them handcuffed and later brought to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, after the Manila Peninsula siege.
“While it is imperative that journalists be given security in times of crisis while they are performing their duties as members of the press, this should not run counter with press freedom and the people's right to information,” CEGP said.
Members of the media were accused of colluding with the mutineers. The police, however, were unable to support their accusations and no legal complaints have been filed against any of the media personnel involved.
CEGP said the ruling “justifies the police and law enforcement authorities' overkill actions in sanctioning journalists in the Manila Peninsula incident.”
The group also criticized the court ruling “because it, in effect, excuses authorities' abuse of power over unfounded allegations and baseless accusations.”
“With the Makati RTC ruling, curtailment of press freedom becomes a tangible threat to members of the media, reporters and personnel who are merely performing their duties in the interest of the public,” CEGP said as it expressed its full support for any actions by the complainants to challenge the said ruling.
Earlier, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) had earlier vowed to contest the Makati RTC's ruling all the way to the Supreme Court “if necessary.” - GMANews.TV