THE New York-based media watchdog Committee
to Protect Journalists yesterday slammed the arrest of an online
editor of Newsbreak magazine in connection with a P100 million
libel case filed by Ilocos Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.
"The authorities in the Philippines are using
criminal libel as a battering ram against press freedom," said
Joel Simon, CPJ executive director, said in a statement posted
at the CPJ website Wednesday.
"Government officials should not rush to a
prosecutor every time a journalist writes critically about those
in power. The charges against the Newsbreak editors should be
dropped," he added.
Arrested was Gemma Bagayaua, Newsbreak online
coordinator and writer, who was charged by Singson together with
editor in chief Marites Dañguilan Vitug, business editor Lala
Rimando, senior writer Aries Rufo, and former managing director
Ma-an Hontiveros.
The libel case stemmed from the Newsbreak
article "Beyond Vigan" which came out on June 6, 2006.
The article written by Bagayaua told of how
Singson "expanded his sphere of influence" under the Arroyo
administration. It alleged Singson has placed trusted aides and
allies in government entities that deal with gaming, ports, land
development and transportation.
Bagayaua was arrested Wednesday by two
policemen at the Newsbreak office in Tektite Towers in Pasig
City shortly after 2 p.m.
The arresting officers were identified as
Marcial Sibal and Tirso Atuan.
The arrest warrant was issued by Judge
Dominador Arquelada of the Vigan Regional Trial Court.
Bagayaua spent the night in jail.
Newsbreak said in its website Bagayaua failed
to post bail Wednesday afternoon because the head of the police
warrant office was not around to release her papers for bail
posting. When the papers were about to be released before 5
p.m., the cashier said she was going home.
Newsbreak said its lawyers tried but failed
to post bail at a night court in Quezon City, which turned out
to be open only up to 6 p.m.
The four others charged by Singson were not
in the office when the policemen arrived, Newsbreak said.
The five Newsbreak personnel posted bail of
P10,000 each yesterday before the Pasig Regional Trial Court.
Vitug, Hontiveros, Bernardo, and Rufo were
first required to submit themselves before the Pasig City police
so they may be issued "certificates of detention" before they
were allowed to post bail.
Bagayaua said she was shocked with the
issuance of the arrest warrant because the case is under appeal
before the justice department.
In an interview over radio dzBB, Bagayaua
said she will not be cowed by the incident and will continue
with their exposés.
While Bagayaua was still at the Pasig City police, members of
the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and the
National Press Club staged a vigil in front of the police
headquarters to show support. – Czeriza Valencia and
Raymond Africa
