During the CCPC’s 12th quarterly meeting last Sept. 26, 2008 at Victoria Hall of Cebu Parklane International Hotel, Frank Malilong of the Cebu Media Legal Aid presented to the CCPC en banc the amendments to House Bill 3306 (of Reps. Angara, Puentevella, Fua, Abante, Lapus, Tieng and Zialcita) that were proposed by a group of local editors and Cemla lawyers in a meeting last Aug. 13, 2008 at Club Ultima.

The proposed amendments included those in regard to the space where the reply might be published, the time frame within which the reply may be published or aired, as well as the amounts of the penalties that may be imposed on those media outlets deemed to have violated a person’s right to reply.

The proposed amendments have been transmitted to Rep. Raul del Mar for bringing up when the bill goes to the floor for debates.

Earlier, on June 11, 2008, the counterpart bill in the Upper House, Senate Bill 2150, had been approved on Second Reading, with amendments.

In line with its mission to tackle media issues, the CCPC then screened a
CCPC- and Cebu Press Freedom Week Inc.-produced documentary entitled
“Access Denied: Journalists’ Lament, News Sources’ Plea.”

The 20-minute film featuring journalists and news sources, including Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Deputy Ombudsman of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas Pelagio Apostol and Police Regional Office 7 Director Ronald Roderos, tackled the frustrations of journalists in gaining access to information, as well as the concerns raised by news sources against journalists seeking to get information from them.

During its first quarterly meeting for the year on March 24, 2008 at the MBF Cebu Press Center, CCPC members and alternates Dr. Pureza Oñate, Sabino Dapat, Atty. Jonathan Capanas, Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas, Mario King, Mayette Tabada, Mia Embalzado, Edward Abad, Leo Lastimosa, Pachico Seares, Divine Ngujo, John Rey Saavedra, Eileen Mangubat and Anol Mongaya adopted the positions taken earlier by some media members of the CCPC and Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla) during a March 12 meeting at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

The resolutions and position papers supporting them will now be sent to members of Congress for their consideration during the deliberation on the bills.

Decriminalizing libel

Cemla’s Rosemarie Versoza made a comparison of the general features of the bills seeking to decriminalize libel to members and guests at the CCPC meeting, including Philippine Press Institute (PPI) trustee Juan Mercado, Sun.Star Cebu columnist and GMA 7 anchor Bobby Nalzaro, Cebu Daily News (CDN) editor-in-chief Connie Fernandez, Sun.Star Cebu executive editor Michelle So, Sun.Star Network Exchange head Nini Cabaero, Cebu Holdings Inc. assistant vice president Ver de la Cerna and MBF Cebu Press Center manager Jolen Lim.

The bills were Senate Bill 918 by Sen. Edgardo Angara, SB 110 (Sen. Mar Roxas), SB 223 (Sen. Loren Legarda), SB 5 (Sen. Jinggoy Estrada), SB 1403 (Sen. Francis Escudero) and House Bill 2802 (Rep. Prospero Nograles).

Representing Cemla at the meeting were Philippine News Agency bureau chief Eddie Barrita, Sun.Star Cebu columnist Elias Espinoza; dyHP legal adviser Ruphil Bañoc, Piedad “Bingo” Gonzalez and Pedro Rosito.

Supporting provisions

CCPC acting executive director and Sun.Star Cebu editor-in-chief Seares and Cemla’s Espinoza discussed the position of Cebu editors and lawyers on the bills and presented the draft resolution supporting certain provisions of the bills, specifically those on removing the jail penalty for libel; raising the fine as penalty (but at reasonable amounts affordable to community journalists); reducing the prescriptive period of libel from one year to six months; exempting from liability the editor, publisher, newspaper or station manager, or news director who did not review the alleged libelous material before printing or airing; and limiting the venue of libel to the court of the province or city where the principal office of the journalist is.

They supported keeping libel as a crime, but retaining only the penalty of fine, saying this was advantageous to journalists because it was important to give aggrieved parties a venue for their complaints as this also helps to prevent the assassination of journalists.

Espinoza also said that in criminal cases, proof of malice is required. This is hard to establish.

Seares explained that a civil case for damages is actually worse than a criminal case because it requires only a preponderance of evidence in order to succeed, while crime requires proof beyond reasonable doubt.

Warrant of arrest

Espinoza made it clear, however, that even if the penalty of imprisonment were to be removed, a warrant of arrest would still be issued “because that’s how the court attains jurisdiction of the suspect.”

Provincial Prosecutor Jane Petralba added that if the amount of the penalty is P20,000 to P50,000, “then that case will go to the Regional Trial Court, so there will be a warrant of arrest.”

Petralba said it is the Supreme Court that rules on procedural matters such as the question of the use of summons instead of warrants. But as far as jurisdiction is concerned, this can be legislated, so this is a matter for Congress.

Seares then requested Petralba, Regional State Prosecutor for Central Visayas Fernando Gubalane and Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Simaco Labata to drop libel cases outright if there is no probable cause or if some persons are clearly not involved, saying that sending these to the courts, where the charges will just be dismissed anyway, will just clog the courts.

Deterrent

CCPC member and CDN publisher Eileen Mangubat expressed concern that removing the penalty of imprisonment might reduce the deterrent effect of the law.

Indeed, Regional Prosecutor Gubalane warned that even with libel still a crime, some subjects of news stories feel that journalists go too far in their reporting or commentary.

He revealed that in the Edgar Damalerio and Marlene Esperat murder cases he handled, the accused said they were hired by persons aggrieved by exposes.

However, Seares said the prospect of going to jail had never been a deterrent because it is rare to see a journalist in jail. A greater deterrent is the cost of the litigation and the hassle of attending court hearings, he said.

Benefits

On the bills seeking to promote journalists’ welfare, CCPC member John Rey Saavedra said that while Senate Bill 1398 by Sen. Loren Legarda and Senate Bill 9 by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada sought benefits for journalists, it also proposed the creation of a national coordinating council for media and the drafting of a code of conduct for journalists by the office of the press secretary.

Presenting the editors’ position on the bills, Seares said the proposed coordinating council and code for journalists could interfere with functions of the press and impair its freedom.

He added that while the bills have good intentions, labor laws are adequate to protect journalists and benefits should be left to market forces to dictate.

Bail bond

Taking advantage of the presence of the prosecutors, CCPC and Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) member Edward Abad asked why dyXR Aksyon Radyo station manager Carlo Dugaduga had been meted a bail bond of P70,000 when normally the libel bond is only P10,000.

Dugaduga was indicted as manager of the station where broadcaster Gilbert Wagas operated a noontime block-time program. Wagas was accused of having committed libel against Cebu Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. in this program.

Provincial Prosecutor Petralba responded by saying the Department of Justice had a bail bond guide for prosecutors to follow.

“The bail set by the prosecutor is only recommendatory. It’s the court who will decide on it,” she said.

According to the DOJ guide, the bond is only P10,000, she said.

Amount

Seeking further clarification, CCPC member and KBP-Cebu chairman Leo Lastimosa revealed that Talisay City Prosecutor Marshall Rubia’s explanation for setting the bond at P70,000 was that “what is set in the bond guide is the minimum, and that there is no maximum for the bond amount.”

Petralba chose not to answer him directly. Instead she announced that the Provincial Prosecutors Office is now committed to the program of the Peace and Order Council regarding the decongestion of courts.

“It has an internal agreement not to pose vehement objection to the reduction of bail if the accused is not a recidivist and the crime is not heinous,” she said.

Seares asked whether it was right that the setting of Dugaduga’s bail was made dependent on the status of the complainant.

Petralba said that rather than the status of the complainant, the foremost consideration in setting the amount for bail is the probability of the accused to abscond, the physical condition of the accused (which could be an argument for reduction of bond), and the financial capacity of the accused.

Right to reply

During the meeting, Cherry Ann Lim, assistant to the CCPC executive director, reported that decisions made by the CCPC en banc in its earlier meeting in December 2007 had resulted in a lawmaker dropping one bill, among other things.

After the CCPC sent its position paper and resolution opposing bills seeking to legislate the right to reply to members of Congress, Rep. Juan Edgardo M. Angara, author of House Bill 162, said he would withdraw the bill, Lim reported.

Rep. Monico Puentevella, author of HB 1001, said he would first engage in a dialogue with the media groups in Bacolod City, which he represents, to get an assurance of fairness in media coverage.

On the other hand, Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., author of SB 1178, along with Sens. Pia Cayetano, Chiz Escudero and Loren Legarda, said he would take into consideration the issues raised in CCPC’s position paper during the deliberations on the measure, she told the body.

Model

Lim also informed the CCPC members that during an international conference of journalists and lawyers on impunity and press freedom attended by the PPI’s Mercado, CCPC’s Seares and Cemla’s Versoza last Feb. 25-27, 2008, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility executive director Melinda Quintos de Jesus acknowledged the work that CCPC had been doing and raised it up as a model to follow in being proactive in issues affecting the media.

Cebu Holdings Inc., through Ver de la Cerna, expressed its support for the CCPC’s work by presenting a donation of P50,000 to the group. CTL

CCPC Members Present
Sabino Dapat (presiding officer), Atty. Jonathan Capanas, Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas, Mario King, Jose Rafael Ferreros, Mayette Q. Tabada, Mia Embalzado, Edward Abad, Leo Lastimosa, Pachico Seares, Divine Ngujo (alternate of Jerry Tundag), Eileen Mangubat and Anol Mongaya.

Guests
1. Juan Mercado, Trustee, Philippine Press Institute
2. Bobby Nalzaro, Sun.Star Cebu columnist and anchor of GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak
3. Michelle So, executive editor, Sun.Star Cebu
4. Connie Fernandez, executive editor, CDN
5. Marit Remonde, station manager, dyLA
6. Atty. Eddie Barrita, Bureau chief, Philippine News Agency and member, Cemla
7. Atty. Frank Malilong Jr., member, Cebu Media Legal Aid
8. Atty. Elias L. Espinoza, Cemla
9. Atty. Maria Dee S. Del Rosario, Cemla
10. Atty. Rosemarie O. Versoza, Cemla
11. Atty. Ruphil Bañoc, legal adviser of dyHP
12. Jolen Lim, manager, MBF Cebu Press Center
13. Cherry Ann T. Lim, assistant to the acting executive director, CCPC
14. Alex Badayos, photographer, Sun.Star Cebu

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by the presiding Officer, Mr. Sabino R. Dapat at 11:45 A.M.

As a matter of adopted procedure, the reading and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting was again dispensed with and every member of the council has been requested to just read the minutes as published in the CCPC website.

Presentation of CCPC Accomplishment report

A report on the accomplishments of the CCPC since its revival in September 2005 was made by Cherry Ann T. Lim, assistant to the acting executive director.

Presentation of and Discussion on bills legislating the right to reply
a) Background

Rose O. Versoza of the Cebu Media Legal Aid says the bills pending in the 14th Congress–Senate Bill 1178 by Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., House Bill 162 by Rep. Juan Edgardo M. Angara and House Bill 1001 by Monico Puentevella–compel newspapers or broadcast stations to publish or broadcast the reply of an aggrieved party in the same space in the newspaper or same program free of charge, with the length of the reply not exceeding the length of the accusation, not later than one day after the reply has been delivered to the office of the newspaper or station, under pain of penalty, like a fine or imprisonment. Editors may not edit the reply, except for libelous allegations.

b) Comments from lawyers

- Atty. Frank Malilong of the Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla) called the bills “idiotic and stupid” because they do not specify the period within which a person who claims to have been injured by a news item or opinion can avail himself of the right to reply. This opens the door for someone to complain about an item that came out five years ago and insist on his right to reply.

- Atty. Elias Espinoza said the Cemla strongly opposes the bills because they are like a Sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of columnists, editors and commentators, making columnists and radio commentators hesitant to do their jobs of commenting against government officials. The bills are a “gag order on media disguised as right to reply bills,” and thus are “an affront to freedom of the press and expression,” he said.

He cited Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), of which the Philippines is a signatory, which provides for everyone’s right to freedom of expression.

- Atty. Eddie Barrita said that in his view, the bill is not constitutional because it runs counter to the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Passing the bills would be tantamount to telling journalists what to publish. It is against the Constitution to tell journalists what to publish and what not to publish.

c) Comments from editors

- Pachico Seares of Sun.Star Cebu said the bills are unnecessary and impractical because there are already many avenues and media through which aggrieved parties could exercise their right to reply.  “What we don’t like is compulsory access,” or legislating the right to reply, he said. But he agreed that there is a need for media to examine its own performance since it should have a sense of accountability also.

- Connie Fernandez of CDN said the bills are impractical because if an accusation comes out in the front page, then the reply would have to come out in the front page also. And then what if a big story comes up? Will the newspaper have to come up with two front pages just to accommodate the right to reply? And what if two subjects feel alluded to and insist on their right to reply and the publication of their replies on the same day?

- Eileen Mangubat of CDN said it will be difficult to operationalize a legislated reply to reply due to the limited print space and airtime available. Although the bills stem from legitimate complaints, this is not the proper response to the problem. Instead media should push for media literacy and educate the public on the current mechanisms available to them should they feel aggrieved.

d) Action

- Seares said the Cebu Citizens-Press Council had drafted a proposed resolution that could be sent to lawmakers. Attached to the resolution would be the position paper drawn up after a meeting of editors, broadcast journalists and Cemla representatives last Dec. 5, 2007 at Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

- Mangubat suggested including examples of how media now allows aggrieved subjects their right to reply in newspapers.

- Michelle P. So, trustee of the Philippine Press Institute, said the PPI had also adopted its own resolution opposing these bills, and that it would send the resolution of the CCPC to the PPI and the Philippine Press Council as part of the series of opposition to the bills.

- The proposed CCPC resolution was approved by the CCPC en banc.

Other business

a) Suggestions on possible issues to tackle:

- Sabino Dapat raised the issue of President Arroyo wanting to revive the anti-subversion law, saying it runs counter to Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.’s pronouncements that the communist insurgents have dwindled in number. He expressed concern that the move may be aimed at the media instead.

- Leo Lastimosa asked whether there is a need for the CCPC to take a stand on the protocol recently released that would have selected journalists imbedded during assault situations and operating on a pooled coverage basis, with them sharing their stories with those journalists who were not imbedded. Seares said the CCPC would need to look at the rules first.

b) Funding the CCPC meetings

- Some CCPC members said they could take turns hosting, for instance, the business group, the KBP and the news organizations.

- Mangubat said the newspapers should just pay for everything so they will not be beholden to anyone. The amount of P2,000 per newspaper is not too burdensome and can be placed in the annual budget to show the newspapers’ commitment to the CCPC.

- Edward Abad said the KBP could also probably help.

- Sabino Dapat suggested that the people responsible to fund the quarterly meetings for 2008 be designated already so they can prepare for it.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at about 2:00 in the afternoon.

[1] It opened the MBF Cebu Press Center in Lahug, Cebu City as a receiving
center for complaints addressed to the CCPC.

[2] It obtained a legal personality and launched a website.

[3] As part of its work to help media practitioners improve their craft:

• It drew up standards for media coverage to protect the human rights of suspects and detainees.
• It drew up standards for the coverage of religion and religious officials.
• It also held a dialogue to enable the media and the Church to better understand each other’s structure and processes. The culmination of this effort was the production of a documentary on the coverage of priests.
• It crafted a resolution reminding the press to abide by the standards of law and practice on the coverage of women and children.
• It also conceptualized an academe-led effort to analyze media’s coverage of the May 2007 elections, with the view to improving coverage of future elections.

[4] To address threats to press freedom

• The CCPC weighed in on pending legislation, expressing support for (a) the bill to give journalists of broadcast stations, wire agencies and the Internet the right not to divulge their news sources (House Bill 4835), and (b) the bill to limit the venue of libel against community journalists to the principal office of business of the publication or station (House Bill 77).

[5] During significant events, it made its voice heard:

• For the 12th Asean Summit, it made an appeal for both media and government to show a greater sense of responsibility.
• For the May 2007 elections, it made a resolution calling on all stakeholders to allow the press to perform its watchdog function.

CCPC Members Present
Sabino Dapat, Fr. Ramon Echica, Mario King, Jose Rafael Ferreros, Mayette Q. Tabada, Mia Embalzado, Edward Abad, Leo Lastimosa, Ryan Borinaga, Connie Fernandez, Pachico Seares, Divine Ngujo and Anol Mongaya.

Guests
1. Juan Mercado, Trustee, Philippine Press Institute
2. Bobby Nalzaro, Sun.Star Cebu columnist and anchor of GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak
3. Michelle So, executive editor, Sun.Star Cebu
4. Alex Badayos, photographer, Sun.Star Cebu
5. Ian Manticajon, coordinator, mass communications, UP in the Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC)
6. Bejay Villaflores, STC student, part of election coverage evaluation team
7. Bai Hayde Quiñanola, STC student, part of election coverage evaluation team
8. Zorabelle Fran Uy, UPVCC student, part of election coverage evaluation team
9. Atty. Eddie Barrita, Bureau chief, Philippine News Agency and member, Cemla
10. Roy Abraham, general manager, Cebu City Marriott Hotel
11. Joan Danao, public relations manager, Cebu City Marriott Hotel
12. Atty. Lionel Castillano, acting Provincial Election Supervisor, Comelec
13. Marit Remonde, station manager, dyLA
14. Isolde Amante, managing editor-News, Sun.Star Cebu
15. Nini Cabaero, head of Sun.Star Network Exchange
16. Bobby Inoferio, president, Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (Scoop)-Cebu
17. Carmel Geverola, news editor, Sun.Star Cebu
18. Keith Amodia, seminarian, Don Bosco Seminary
19. Atty. Frank Malilong Jr., member, Cebu Media Legal Aid
20. Ver de la Cerna, head, property management and corporate communication, Cebu Holdings Inc.
21. Dr. Rhodora Bucoy, teacher, UPVCC
22. Grace Zabala, Cebu Daily News
23. Cherry Ann T. Lim, assistant to the acting executive director, Cebu Citizens-Press Council

1. Report on Election Coverage of Cebu newspapers

Mia Embalzado and Ian Manticajon presented the final report of the study they and their masscom students from UPVCC and STC made on how the five Cebu daily newspapers covered the 2007 election campaign.

The team studied 44 issues–from March 31, 2007 to May 13, 2007.

Copies of the study were then given to representatives of the five daily newspapers in Cebu–Sun.Star Cebu, The Freeman, Cebu Daily News, Banat News and Sun.Star SuperBalita.

2. Screening of Documentary

The documentary “Covering Priests: Clearing the Air, Bridging the Gap,” directed by Publio J. Briones with cinematography by Januar Yap, was screened.

The documentary followed steps by the CCPC to improve the understanding of Church and media structure so that there may be a better flow of information between the two institutions. Earlier, the CCPC had already conducted a Church-media dialogue during its March 2007 meeting, as well as drafted standards on the coverage of religious officials.

The half-hour documentary featured interviews with Church officials, including Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, as well as with media personalities.

Presiding Officer: Dr. Pureza Oñate

CCPC Members Present
Ruben Almendras (alternate of Sabino Dapat)
Atty. Jonathan Capanas
Mario King
Jose Rafael Ferreros
Mayette  Tabada
Mia Embalzado
Edward Abad
Leo Lastimosa
John Rey Saavedra (alternate of Juanito Jabat)
Eileen Mangubat
Pachico Seares
Anol Mongaya

Guests
1. Juan Mercado, Trustee, Philippine Press Institute
2. Bobby Nalzaro, Sun.Star Cebu columnist and anchor of GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak
3. Michelle So, Executive editor, Sun.Star Cebu
4. Alex Badayos, Photographer, Sun.Star Cebu
5. Connie Fernandez, Executive editor, Cebu Daily News
6. Bernadette Parco, Editorial assistant, Cebu Daily News
7. Roger Vallena, News editor, Sun.Star SuperBalita
8. Ian Manticajon, Coordinator, mass communications, UP in the Visayas Cebu College
9. Bejay Villaflores, STC student, part of election coverage evaluation team
10. Bai Hayde Quiñanola, STC student, part of election coverage evaluation team
11. Atty. Elias Espinoza, Columnist, Sun.Star Cebu
12. Atty. Pedro Rosito, Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla)
13. Atty. Eddie Barrita, Bureau manager, Philippine News Agency and Cemla
14. Atty. Rosemarie Olaño-Versoza (Cemla)
15. Piedad “Bingo” Gonzalez (Cemla)
16. Fr. Carmelo Diola, Coordinating steward, Church-based movement Dilaab
17. Jolen Lim, Manager, MBF Cebu Press Center
18. Max Andrino, Acting manager, RPN 9
19. Frannie Abellana, cameraman, RPN 9
20. Jessie Tabanao, Bombo Radyo
21. Ruphil Bañoc, dyHP, RMN
22. Ike Durano, dyRF
23. Daniel Guden, dyRF
24. Cherry Ann T. Lim, Assistant to the acting executive director of the CCPC

A. Call to Order

The presiding officer, Dr. Pureza Oñate, called the meeting to order at 12:45 p.m. after the invocation as well as the introduction of CCPC members by Mr. Leo Lastimosa and the introduction of guests by Mr. Mario King. The council proceeded to take up the business for the day after council secretary Jonathan Capanas declared having a quorum.

B. Updates

Cherry Ann Lim, assistant to the acting executive director, gave this update:

(1) House Bill 77, which limits the venue of civil and criminal libel against community print and broadcast journalists and newspapers and broadcast stations to the principal office of business of the publication or station, was passed by the Lower House and transmitted to the Senate in the 13th Congress. But the 13th Congress adjourned in early June 2007, so the bill will have to be re-filed in the House when the 14th Congress opens in July.

(2) As a follow-up to the Church-media dialogue held last March, the CCPC, as part of the Cebu Press Freedom Week celebration in September, may hold a seminar-forum led by the Archdiocese to enlighten the media on how they can deal with the Church. Or the media could educate the future spokesmen of the Church by teaching seminarians/priests how to understand media.

There are also plans for a documentary with the working title “Priests in
Crisis,” for screening during the Cebu Press Freedom Week.

(3) The CCPC accepts advertising in its website. Sun.Star Cebu paid for the hosting of the CCPC website for May 5, 2007  -  May 5, 2008, which is why its ad appears in the site. Others may host the website in the years ahead.

(4) The CCPC has not received any new complaints since its last report in March.

C. Evaluation of Cebu print media’s coverage of the 2007 elections

Mia Embalzado and Ian Manticajon presented the initial interpretations of the research work of their masscom students on how the five Cebu daily newspapers covered the last election campaign. The team studied 44 issues–from March 31, 2007 to May 13, 2007.

Mayette Tabada, who coordinated the effort, explained that while the study looked into the themes tackled during the election campaign period and their treatment, as shown by their placement in the newspaper, e.g. Page 1 top story or second story, inside news story or editorial, the findings do not show who set the media agenda (whether it was sources or politicians), or whether the media content influenced voters. A final report will be produced in time for Press Freedom Week 2007.

Salient reactions:
(1) The research team was asked to take a second look at the definition of election-related stories. The controversies surrounding the CICC construction and the lamppost purchases had not been considered as election-related stories if they were not directly linked to the elections in the stories concerned. John Rey Saavedra agreed that they should not be counted as election stories if they were mere Ombudsman stories, for instance. But Leo Lastimosa and Eileen Mangubat argued that even if there is no mention of elections in the story, they were considered election-related stories since they affected the chances of victory of those running in the elections, coming as they did during the campaign period.

(2) Other suggestions were (a) to also look at the photos published during the period concerned, (b) to consider column inches, rather than mere number of stories, in analyzing the frequency of publication of stories, (c) to make voter education (the ones not initiated by Comelec) a separate category rather than lumped into “other categories,” even if the number of stories is few, (d) to look at whether media was fair in giving someone the right to answer a charge raised against him in an issue in that same issue, (e) to look at whether candidates were given equal exposure, (f) to use pie chart aside from bar graphs for comparison, (g) Redefine the criteria like how should “election-related stories” be defined.

Ian Manticajon said they would take the suggestions into consideration when fine-tuning their research.

D. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at about 2:30 in the afternoon.

Prepared by:
Dean Jonathan P. Capanas
Council Secretary

CCPC Members Present
Ruben Almendras (alternate of Sabino Dapat), Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas, Mario King, Jose Rafael Ferreros, Mayette Q. Tabada, Mia Embalzado, Edward Abad, Leo Lastimosa, Divine Ngujo (representing Jerry Tundag), John Rey Saavedra (alternate of Juanito Jabat), Eileen Mangubat, Pachico Seares and Anol Mongaya.

Guests
Carmel Geverola, News editor, Sun.Star Cebu
Nini Cabaero, Head, Sun.Star Network Exchange
Alex Badayos, Photographer, Sun.Star Cebu
Elias Baquero, President, Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists
Connie Fernandez, Executive editor, Cebu Daily News
Bernadette Parco, Writer, Cebu Daily News
Tonee Despojo, Photographer, Cebu Daily News
Ferdinand Edralin, Photographer, The Freeman
Marit Remonde, Station manager, dyLA
Bobby Nalzaro, Sun.Star Cebu columnist and anchor of GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak
Fr. Guillermo Gorre, Rector, Seminario Mayor de San Carlos
Fr. Jose Adonis Aquino, Cebu Catholic Television Network
Fr. Marnell Mejia, Editor, Bag-ong Lungsoranon/resident priest, Christ the King
Fr. Fidel Orendain, Social communications in charge, Don Bosco Lawaan, Cebu
Fr. Raul Go, Co-pastor, San Nicolas Parish
Atty. Elias Espinoza, Cebu Media Legal Aid Fund (Cemla)
Atty. Pedro Rosito, Former president, IBP Cebu chapter (Cemla)
Atty. Eddie Barrita (Cemla)
Atty. Fritz Quiñanola (Cemla)
Atty. Rosemarie Olaño-Versoza (Cemla/Children’s Legal Bureau)
Erlinda Perame, Executive director, Venue for Initiatives and Genuine Development
Miraflor Silva, Psychologist, Antonia de Oviedo Center
Jolen Lim, Manager, MBF Cebu Press Center
Cherry Ann T. Lim, Assistant to the acting executive director of the CCPC
Carlito dela Calzada, Information technology staff member
Jose Armilla, formerly with the US information agency
Lalaine Go and Jun Solon of GMA 7

1. Updates

Cherry Ann Lim, assistant to the acting executive director, gave this update:
(a) Carlos Conde of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, reacted to the CCPC’s resolution for the 12th Asean Summit, mistaking it for a gag order. Pachico Seares, acting executive director, whose full response is in the CCPC website, explained to him that the Malacañang press release that had picked up the resolution had omitted a vital portion of the resolution, as well as added text that was not in the original resolution, which may have given the impression that it was a gag order.
(b) The CCPC website will accept advertising.
(c) The CCPC has received a total of 6 complaints since it started receiving complaints in early 2006.

2. Mia Embalzado gave a presentation on the CCPC’s resolution reminding the press of standards of law and practice on the coverage of women and children. It was suggested that instead of saying media “violates ethics” when interviewing child victims, the text should be reworded to contain this thought instead: “Media should exercise restraint in interviewing children or photographing them to ensure that their identity is protected.”

Below are salient reactions to the resolution:

(a) From Eileen Mangubat: In reality, there’s no DSWD or NGO rep at the crime scene, so it is the child victim that reporters will have to interview. She also said that rather than not having any photos at all of child victims, editors should be given the discretion to shoot the victims at an angle that would still protect their identity.
(b) From Erlinda Perame: Although there have been strides by media in protecting the identity of women, why is it that photographers shoot the women during raids? Shouldn’t they take photos of the customers and the managers of the dens instead? She suggested that instead of using the word “aid,” the word “rescue” should be used.
(c) Miraflor Silva: Even if the face is covered, the voice of the child can still be identified. Couldn’t the broadcast media disguise the voice?
(d) Rose Versoza: Reporters should introduce themselves properly as journalists before interviewing children.
(e) Leo Lastimosa: News managers should constantly remind editors and photographers that photographers should not just keep taking photos of women during raids and justify this by saying that editors will screen out most of the photos anyway.

3. John Rey Saavedra gave a presentation on the proposed resolution of the CCPC on the media coverage of the May 2007 elections. It was decided to reword the text to:

WHEREAS, journalists are guided by their in-house rules as well as the existing laws and rules and regulations of the Commission on Elections in the coverage of the elections.

4. To start the Church-Media Dialogue, Eileen Mangubat gave the talk “What the Church needs to know about the media.” Salient points of the talk:

(a) Faith, Community Pages and Letters to the Editor are not used enough by the Church.
(b) Media must process information on a deadline, so if priests have any statement to make, they must send it by the afternoon.
(c) The Church is so hierarchical that no one will talk unless it’s the Cardinal. Perhaps the Church could appoint many spokesmen that media can go to for different issues about the Church.

Reactions of priests:

(a) Fr. Guillermo Gorre: When priests speak, that is their own opinion. They don’t speak for the Church. When interviewing Msgr. Achilles Dakay, media liaison officer for the archdiocese, it may be good to ask if he is speaking for the Cardinal or if he is giving his own opinion.
-The Cardinal can be cryptic if he is still not sure about an issue. Rather than conducting an ambush interview, it may be better to give him notice in advance that the press will be asking certain questions, so he will have time to consult with the relevant Church officials concerned and come up with a better response.
-We don’t have a crisis group in the Church. But we’d love to have one.
-The Church needs a longer time to give a response to media questions because what it says will affect the life of the person. The Church is a symbol of moral authority. An issue can be scandalous not only to the Church, but to the entire people.

(b) Fr. Fidel Orendain: While the church is honest and sincere in its process of addressing issues of scandal and crises, the varying perceptions of the public raise some alarm. While the media claim they only declare the sentiments of the people, they also fill the imaginations of people.

While the church claims that the problems are being dealt with following a set of protocol, this is not the perception aired by media (or by people through the media as claimed by the media). People think that (a) the church is bent on covering up its “sins,” (b) the church is banking on its elite or untouchable status, (c) the church is overconfident that people will be “kind and forgiving” to their erring shepherds, (d) the church is losing its moral ascendancy, especially in giving rules and directives to its members.

The local Church is giving a poor showing in sufficiently informing the public and the media about the latest issues that hit the headlines.

The main access of the majority of Catholics to information about the Church and their shepherds is the media. So the Church must do more than be quiet or mysterious or unclear.

Some needs stand out when it comes to media and church dialogue:
(1) Media and church representatives must become familiar with each other’s jargons.
(2) Media must be taught the basic structure, hierarchy and the system the church follows in dealing with issues.
(3) Media must be given a list of referrals from the local church, or point persons who are experts in particular church matters who can answer queries that are generally thrown to the Cardinal’s spokesperson.

• Sun.Star Cebu leads the revival of the Cebu Citizens-Press Council, which had been in hibernation for about three years, with a meeting involving the 15 people (members of media, semi-media and the public) invited to become members of the council.
  An election is held and the following officers are elected: Dr. Pureza Oñate, president; Sabino Dapat, vice president; Atty. Jonathan Capanas, secretary; and Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas, treasurer.
• Atty. Pachico Seares, editor-in-chief of Sun.Star Cebu, presents the basic principles of the CCPC, saying a Code of Practice and Rules of Procedure still have to be drawn up.
• Members of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ) join the meeting because it is also the pre-assembly lunch of the CFBJ.

Feb. 3, 2006
2nd quarterly meeting, held at Cafe Georg, Banilad, Cebu City

• The acting executive director, through Cherry Ann T. Lim, reports that the MBF Cebu Press Center has opened as a receiving center for complaints addressed to the CCPC.
• Pachico Seares presents the CCPC’s Rules of Procedure and Code of Practice for approval by the CCPC en banc. The body approves them.
• A proposal is made to give the CCPC legal personality.
• Philippine Press Institute trustee Juan Mercado presents the ethical issue of the police parading crime suspects before media, asking if it is not a violation of their presumption of innocence. The suggestion is made to form an internal working group to come up with recommendations on this issue for submission to the next CCPC en banc.

June 28, 2006
3rd quarterly meeting, held at MBF Cebu Press Center, Lahug, Cebu City

• The acting executive director, through Cherry Ann T. Lim, reports that the CCPC website has been launched at www.cebucitizenspresscouncil.org with Sun.Star managing it.
• The CCPC en banc adopts in principle the committee report on the standards of identifying crime suspects that might be issued as an advisory to Cebu journalists. But the committee (composed of Mayette Tabada, Jerry Tundag and Joy Tumulak) is tasked to meet with the police authorities to get their thoughts on this issue.
• The CCPC en banc expresses support for two bills:

* House Bill 4835, amending the Sotto Law–which grants journalists the right not to divulge their news sources–to include journalists of broadcast stations, wire agencies and the Internet.
* House Bill 77, which limits the venue of civil and criminal libel against community print and broadcast journalists and newspapers and broadcast stations to the principal office of business of the publication or station.
* The CCPC agrees to send a resolution of support for the two bills to the Senate and to the local government units.

Sept. 21, 2006
Annual and 4th quarterly meeting, held at MBF Cebu Press Center, Lahug, Cebu City

• The acting executive director, through Cherry Ann T. Lim, reports that:

(a) CCPC has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-stock, non-profit organization;
(b) The rules on the beneficiaries of the Cebu Media Medical Aid Fund, as well as a list of journalists in Cebu, has been uploaded on the CCPC website; and
(c) Letters have been sent to each senator requesting that the two House bills the CCPC voiced its support for in the last meeting be acted upon before the Senate adjourns that year; and that a tie-up was established with the Philippine Press Institute, whose board made the same appeal to the Senate.

• Since it is Press Freedom Week, representatives from the Church, business, government, law enforcement, academe and media have been invited, and a presentation is made on how the CCPC model works.
• Mayette Tabada, head of the committee tasked to study the issue of parading suspects before the media, reports on the commitments made by law enforcements following an Aug. 31, 2006 meeting between the committee and the police authorities regarding the proposed standards on describing or identifying crime suspects. After comments made by Monsignor Achilles Dakay and Minerva Newman, OIC of the Philippine Information Agency 7, on why priests, women and children who figure in wrongdoing or are victims of crime should not also be shielded from publicity, the CCPC decides to form a study group to propose standards on the coverage of priests, as well as women and children.
• Lens, the association of news photographers and videographers in Cebu, turns over the “Journalists in Action” photo exhibit–mounted at the MBF Cebu Press Center on the occasion of Cebu Press Freedom Week–to the Cebu News Workers Foundation.
• The convenors of the Cebu Media Legal Aid are introduced: Pachico Seares, Pedro Rosito, Elias Espinoza and Eddie Barrita.

Dec. 5, 2006
5th quarterly meeting, held at MBF Cebu Press Center, Lahug, Cebu City

Things reported at the meeting:

• The acting executive director, through Cherry Ann T. Lim, reports that:

(a) The Cebu Citizens-Press Council has opened a bank account and deposited there P30,000 in grant money that CCPC received from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility intended for the study groups that will draft the media standards for the coverage of religious officials and women and children.
(b) Nine lawyers last Nov. 24, 2006 signed a commitment as volunteers to the Cebu Media Legal Aid organization, which will provide pro bono assistance to journalists with inadequate or no counsel in answering complaints for libel and other violations of law.

• To CCPC members, as well as a group of religious officials invited to the meeting, Mia Embalzado, committee chairperson, presents the committee report on the coverage of religion and religious officials, which was arrived at after consultations with stakeholders. The CCPC en banc then approves the standards.
• Pachico Seares, CCPC acting executive director, proposes an appeal for both media and government to show a greater sense of responsibility during the 12th Asean Summit that Cebu is expected to host later that month.

11:45 a.m. Pambansang Awit
11:50 a.m. Invocation by Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas (CCPC treasurer)
11:55 a.m. Lunch
12:40 p.m. Welcome Remarks by Dr. Pureza Oñate (CCPC president)
Dr. Oñate to say a few words about the CCPC12:45 p.m. Introduction of CCPC members by Edward Abad
12:50 p.m. Introduction of Guests by Sabino Dapat (CCPC vice president)
1:00 p.m.   Call to order by Dr. Pureza Oñate
1:00 p.m.   Declaration of Quorum & Approval of Minutes by Jonathan
Capanas  (CCPC secretary)
1:05 p.m.  * Update on CCPC: Housekeeping, CMFR grant, feedback on CCPC,
and complaints received/acted on by Cherry Ann T. Lim
* Update on Cebu Media Legal Aid organization by Pachico A.
Seares (acting executive director)
1:15 p.m.  Main business
* Report of committee on coverage of religion and religious
officials by Mia Embalzado (committee chairperson)
1:20 p.m. * Open Forum
1:35 p.m.  Other business
1:45 p.m.  Adjournment by Dr. Pureza Oñate

CCPC Members Present
Sabino Dapat (presiding officer), Atty. Jonathan Capanas, Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas, Mario King, Jose Rafael Ferreros, Mayette Tabada, Mia Embalzado, Edward Abad, Leo Lastimosa, Atty. Pachico A. Seares, Jerry Tundag, Eileen Mangubat, Anol N. Mongaya, John Rey Saavedra (alternate of Juanito Jabat)

Guests
Monsignor Achilles Dakay, media liaison officer, Archdiocese of Cebu
Senior Supt. Ronald Roderos, deputy director for administration, Police Regional Office 7
Medardo de Lemos, director, National Bureau of Investigation 7
Nagiel Bañacia, Cebu City public information officer
Minerva Newman, OIC, Philippine Information Agency 7
Vera Alejandria, external affairs officer, corporate communication & customer affairs division, Cebu Holdings Inc. Jeanette Japzon, customer affairs assistant, Cebu Holdings Inc.
Thads Bentulan, projects division manager, Cebu Holdings Inc.
Hiede Lavares, Cebu Holdings Inc.
Filomeno Lim, president, Cebu Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Alex Du, member, Lapu-Lapu Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Alex Badayos, president, LENS
Tonee Despojo, vice president, LENS
Roberto J. Manzano, consultant, media relations, The Coca-Cola Export Corp.
JB Baylon, public affairs director, The Coca-Cola Export Corp.
Atty. Elias Espinoza, columnist, Sun.Star Cebu
Atty. Pedro Rosito, former president, IBP Cebu chapter
Atty. Eddie Barrita, columnist, Sun.Star Cebu
Juan Mercado, trustee, Philippine Press Institute trustee
Bobby Nalzaro, Sun.Star Cebu columnist and anchor of GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak
Marit Remonde, station manager, dyLA
Elias Baquero, Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists
Connie Fernandez, executive editor, Cebu Daily News
Nini Cabaero, Head, Sun.Star Network Exchange
Jolen Lim, Manager, MBF Cebu Press Center
Isolde Amante, Managing editor-news, Sun.Star Cebu
Ian Manticajon, Coordinator, mass communications, UP Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC)
Dr. Ulysses E. Sison, Chairman, Mass Communication Dept., Southwestern University
Dr. Reynaldo Caturza, Coordinator of Nexus, publication of the College of Arts & Sciences, Cebu Normal University Malou Joy Bancong, Teacher, Mass Communications, University of San Jose-Recoletos
Bienvenido Fernandez, Teacher, Mass Communications, St. Theresa’s College (STC)
Bernardo L. See, manager, Hong Kong Food Products
Sister Rica Dalaguit, Archdiocesan C. Commission
Students from UPVCC: Trex Eden Ignacio, Kimberly May Villacrucis, Zorabelle Fran Uy, Roxygane Quezada, Coca, Andrea Pineda
Students from STC: Eoni Rizane, Leonisa Lazaro, Cheryl Baldicantos, RC Dalaguit, Jha Buenaflor, Antoniette Parce, Reggie Marie Barrientos

Call to Order

The Presiding Officer, Mr. Sabino R. Dapat, called the meeting to order at about 11:30 a.m.   After determination and declaration of a quorum, the council proceeded with the business following business of the day: (Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting was dispensed with because it is already available at the CCPC website)

1. Incorporation

Atty. Jonathan Capanas said the CCPC is now registered with the SEC.

2. Updates

Cherry Ann T. Lim, assistant to Atty. Pachico A. Seares, acting CCPC executive director, gave an update on the following:

(a) The two House bills filed by Rep. Raul V. del Mar–one seeking to amend the Sotto Law to include broadcast journalists in its protection; the other, limiting the venue of libel to the court of the province or city where the journalist resides or where the newspaper or broadcast station has its principal place of business or editorial operation.

She said letters had been sent to each senator with the request that the bills, already passed by the House and transmitted to the Senate, be acted upon before it adjourns this year. She added that a tie-up had been established with the Philippine Press Institute, whose board of trustees made the same appeal to the Senate

(b) Website content
These are now available at www.cebucitizenspresscouncil.org:

(1) Minutes of the previous quarterly meeting;
(2) Agenda for succeeding meetings;
(3) Rules on beneficiaries of Cebu Media Medical Aid Fund
(4) List of journalists in Cebu
So far, only Sun.Star Cebu, Sun.Star SuperBalita, Sun.Star Network
Exchange, The Freeman and Cebu Daily News have submitted their lists.

(c) CCPC has received a total of 3 complaints since MBF opened as the receiving center of complaints in early 2006.

3. Proposed Standards on Describing or Identifying Crime Suspects

(a) Mayette Q. Tabada, head of the committee tasked to study the issue of parading suspects before the media, reported on the proposed standards on describing or identifying crime suspects. She also reported on the commitments made by law enforcement chiefs following an Aug. 31, 2006 meeting between the committee with police authorities.

(b) During the meeting, Senior Supt. Ronald Roderos, deputy director for administration, Police Regional Office 7, confirmed that the committee’s report was accurate and said he would have the report disseminated to his  police units for their comment.

(c) A member of the audience, Thads Bentulan of Cebu Holdings Inc., said that in the Commonwealth and EU countries, suspects are not named at all, and their faces not shown. Jerry Tundag of The Freeman responded by saying the EU cannot be held up as a model for fairness in the matter of parading suspects before the media. After all, they have paparrazi who take shots of just anybody, even in compromising positions.

(d) Another guest, Atty. Elias Espinoza, emphasized that while there may be no law in the Philippines violated by the practice of identifying crime suspects, human rights are violated.  According to him, in other countries the face of the suspect can be shown only when the case is filed with the court.

4. Turnover of the “Journalists in Action” photo exhibit

There was a turnover of the photo exhibit which was mounted at the MBF Cebu Press Center on the occasion of Cebu Press Freedom Week by LENS, the association of news photographers and videographers in Cebu, to the Cebu News Workers Foundation (Cenewof). Representatives of the sponsors of the exhibit, The Coca-Cola Export Corp., were on hand during the turnover.

5. Cebu Media Legal Aid

Atty. Pachico Seares introduced the convenors of the Cebu Media Legal Aid as Atty. Pedro Rosito, Atty. Elias Espinoza, Atty. Eddie Barrita, Atty. Frank Malilong (not present at the meeting) and himself.

6. Presentation on the CCPC model

(a) Atty. Pachico Seares, acting CCPC executive director, gave a presentation entitled “Why we think the CCPC will work.”

(b) These were the reactions from both CCPC members and the audience:

-Edward Abad, CCPC member and KBP-Cebu chairman, welcomed the formation of the CCPC, saying that since the KBP did not have the manpower to monitor all stations, the public could send their complaints to the CCPC, which could channel it to the KBP Standards Authority.

-Leo Lastimosa, CCPC member and KBP-Cebu vice chairman, said the CCPC would help professionalize the industry by raising the degree of accountability of broadcasters, including those who are not members of the KBP, because the public would have another avenue for complaints if they don’t trust the KBP to address their complaints.

-Reacting to a comment from a member of the audience who said people were afraid to raise complaints against the media, Jerry Tundag of The Freeman said the media was more afraid to be sued and shot.

7. New Business

During the open forum, Monsignor Achilles Dakay asked why suspects are sometimes shielded from publicity, but that whenever a priest is involved, the priest is named.

Atty. Pachico Seares, Jerry Tundag and Eileen Mangubat explained priests are named only when they submit themselves to the process, like when they make a statement to the Prosecutor’s Office; they submit themselves to the questions of reporters; or when the newspaper has gotten the side of the priest on the matter.

It was then suggested that a committee be formed to propose standards on the coverage of priests. Mia Embalzado was appointed to head the committee. Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas and Eileen Mangubat volunteered to be a part of the committee. Mayette Tabada volunteered to be an observer.

After Minerva Newman, OIC of the Philippine Information Agency 7, suggested that the rights of women and children should also be respected when they are portrayed in media, it was suggested that the committee expand its scope so that it would now tackle the coverage of church affairs, and the human rights of women and children.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at about 2:00 in the afternoon.