The standards address the confusion and disagreement on identifying members of the clergy accused of civil or criminal wrongdoing.

CCPC adopted a committee report submitted by members Mia Embalzado and Fr. Aloysius Cartagenas. Embalzado and Fr. Aloy had earlier met with media members and religious leaders of the Catholic Church and other religious organizations before submitting the report.

In a forum hosted by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility at the MBF Cebu Press Center in Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City, CCPC members discussed the report and listened to religious leaders give their opinions as part of CCPC’s program to make the forum a sounding board for the community.

Religious officials present included Ustadz Haron Magadapa, an imam of the Cebu Green Mosque; Rev. Caleb Ernane Fuentes and Robert M. Ragas, pastors of the Bradford United Church of Christ, Inc.; Fr. Marnell Mejia, editor of Lungsoranon and resident priest of Christ the King Parish in Mandaue City; and Fr. Fidel Orendain, social communications in-charge, Don Bosco, Lawa-an, Cebu City.

The approved standards follow in full:

Standards on covering priests and other religious officials

The Cebu Citizens-Press Council encourages media to accord standards of accuracy and fairness in covering priests, ministers, bishops, and other religious leaders of whatever faith and denomination accused of criminal or civil wrongdoing.

Specifically, the Council encourages media:

[1] Not to name or otherwise identify a religious official who is accused of criminal or civil wrongdoing:

* Until a complaint is filed with the Prosecutor’s Office or in court;
or

* Except when the press is able to get the side of the religious
official, personally or by a spokesperson, or by extensive inquiry
is convinced there is probable cause, (not just because other media
already named or otherwise identified the religious official), but
always seeing to it that the story or commentary includes the side
of the religious official, not necessarily from him but from others
who are familiar with the facts; or

* Until the religious group or denomination to which the religious
official belongs names or otherwise identifies him;

[2] To afford the religious official the same rights available to news sources and others involved in the news, including the right to reply, fairness, accuracy, and equally prominent display of the story if he is cleared of the charges against him;

[3] To learn, by itself and the help of church organizations, Church Literacy, which will instruct journalists on Church structure and processes and answers to frequently asked questions that can lead to more informed reporting and commentary by the press;

[4] To cover with similar energy and diligence the good deeds of religious officials in the conduct of their duties.

Specifically too, the Council encourages religious leaders:

[1] To understand better media structure and processes, including the problems of sometimes failing to meet the standards of good journalism;

[2] To help media understand the rules of the church and other religious organizations and how they can be harmonized with the rules of the rest of society and community, including media;

[3] To lay down clear procedures in giving information to media.

STANDARDS ON DESCRIBING OR IDENTIFYING CRIME SUSPECTS

In relation to standards adopted by individual news organizations in Cebu, and as far as these will coincide with or support those standards, the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) hereby encourages the media and the authorities:

[1] To be cautious in identifying the crime suspect or attributing guilt if the information available is not accurate or verifiable to a high degree.

- Identification includes the presentation of suspects at a press conference and publishing their names and photos in the news.

- Unless reliable sources officially consider a person a crime suspect, he shall not be presented and publicized as one.

- The information is reliable if verified by at least three sources, with whom the reporter and editor have a high level of confidence.

- The crime suspect shall not be treated as a criminal. Thus, devices like a placard hung on the neck or held by hand and a uniform marked “Prisoner” shall be avoided.

- Reports shall clearly distinguish between suspicion and guilt.

[2] To refrain from describing a crime suspect by race, religion or ethnic background unless the information is important to the report or for law enforcement.

- If the crime is racially motivated, reporting must not stigmatize a group or exacerbate racial tension.

- Identify the race of the suspect only if this information helps the public and authorities arrest the fugitive.

[3] To be cautious in releasing personal information not directly related to the case or not yet verified, especially if it injures further the crime suspect’s reputation or victim’s life.

- The gag law (Art. 357 of the Revised Penal Code) punishes the publication of “facts connected with the private life of another and offensive to the honor, virtue and reputation of said person, even though the publication may be made in connection with or under the pretext that it is necessary in the narration of any judicial or administration proceeding wherein the facts are mentioned.”

- For competition’s sake, reporters will not pry into the private lives of suspects or encamp at the homes of the accused and victim.

- Sensationalism shall be avoided, such as giving undue publicity to a description of a crime or during its commission.

- Media shall be sensitive in dealing with children, inexperienced sources or those affected by tragedy or grief.

- Collaboration between media and police can occur if the temporary withholding of reporting can preserve the lives of involved parties or promote crime detection.

(Adopted by consensus during a May 25, 2006 meeting at Vienna Kaffeehaus, Gen. Maxilom Ave., Cebu City. Present: Juan Mercado, Mayette Q. Tabada, Joy Tumulak and Pachico Seares.)

COMMITMENTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CHIEFS

During an Aug. 31, 2006 roundtable discussion, law enforcement officials and the Commission on Human Rights agreed in principle with the proposed standards.

Other agreements:
[1] Law enforcers will not require crime suspects to carry cards or wear shirts identifying them as suspects when they are presented to the media.

[2] For the safety of journalists and other persons present, crime suspects will be handcuffed at the back, not in front. Minors aged 17 and below shall not be handcuffed.

[3] Investigators will determine the age of the offender or victim to help guide journalists in the handling of the story.

[4] Law enforcers will confer among themselves how to implement the CCPC standards on describing or identifying crime suspects.

(Agreeing by consensus at the Hotel Rajah meeting were Director
Alejandro P. Alonso Jr. of the Commission on Human Rights 7,
Director Medardo G. de Lemos of the NBI 7, Province police chief Vic
Loot, and Cebu City police chief Melvin Gayotin, and region police
deputy chief for administration Ronald D. Roderos.  Also present were
Juan L. Mercado, Pachico A. Seares, Mayette Q. Tabada and Joy
Tumulak. Observing were Chito Aragon of Cebu Daily News, Ian
Melencio of The Freeman, and Oscar C. Pineda of Sun.Star Cebu)

(For presentation at Sept. 21, 2006 CCPC en banc meeting)