Cebu Press Council calls for removal of jail term in libel cases‘as Cebu Media joins the celeb of World Press Freedom Day’
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, May 4 (PIA) -- In observance of the World Press Freedom Day, the Cebu Citizens Press Council (CCPC) passed a resolution calling for the removal of the subsidiary imprisonment of journalists involved in libel cases on the proposed legislation to decriminalize libel in the Philippines.
Such resolution was presented during a forum held this morning on ‘Decriminalizing Libel’ attended by over 50 respected newspaper publishers, editors, columnists, commentators, tri-media reporters, and students from different universities taking up Mass Communications.
Atty. Rose Versoza of the Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla) said the resolution was approved last March 29 during the 26th CCPC en banc meeting. Cemla was responsible in drafting the resolution.
Versoza said the resolution just reaffirmed the CCPC 2008 Resolution that called for the removal of jail time for journalists convicted of libel.
“Jail term is sometimes used to suppress and oppress the media which runs contrary to United Nations Human Rights Declaration that forbids imprisonment and censorship in a free press of which the Philippines is a signatory,” bared Versoza who is also a newscaster of ‘Balitang Bisdak’ of GMA 7-Cebu.
Versoza further said the CCPC resolution calls for the hearing of libel cases in a venue where the principal office of the news organization being sued is based. Under the law, the aggrieved party can file a libel lawsuit in any area.
“This is to prevent the hassles and expensive costs of facing the libel case in an area outside of the principal party,” said Versoza.
Though Versoza said the resolution states that libel can still be considered a public crime. Penalty for libel under the law is payment of a certain fine and imprisonment.
Versoza said there are pending bills in Congress on decriminalizing libel as the CCPC hopes that their resolution will be given weight. Among the priority bills to be tackled by Congress when it reconvenes on May 7 is the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill.
Atty. Pachico Seares, CCPC executive director and publisher of Sun Star Daily in the same forum declared the three impediments to a free and working press which are the use of libel to suppress the media, the threat of legislated right of reply and the non-passage of the FOI Bill.
The only menace today to a free press in Cebu is the use of libel laws to silence and oppress the media, disclosed Seares. “The last recorded media killing in Cebu was in 1995 and there was no longer an incident on newsroom terrorism since 1991,” bared Seares.
Seares said the country ranks 3rd as the most dangerous place to work in for journalists just next to Iraq and Somalia. (PIA 7, Cebu)
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Philippine Navy to launch Visayan mobile recruitment
CEBU CITY, May 3 (PIA) -- The Philippine Navy will conduct a Visayan mobile recruitment for qualified applicants from May 9 to May 12 to fill its manpower needs of 200 officers and 1,500 enlisted personnel for the year 2012.
This will be launched by the Philippine Navy’s operational command, the Naval Forces Central at the University of Cebu, Main Campus, Cebu City.
This mobile recruitment also aims to provide a quicker and more economical application process for applicants, rather than filing their application forms in Manila. Processing of requirements will start from May 1 to May 8, at Personnel Office, Naval Forces Central.
Basic qualification requirements for both officership and enlistment are the following: must be a natural born Filipino; of good moral character; single and with no child to support; height of at least 5 feet; must not have any pending civil/criminal case; physically and mentally fit for training; and must pass the Armed Forces of the Philippines Aptitude Battery Test, IQ, and special written examinations.
The Navy is in need of applicants for officership who are 21 to 28 years old, and graduates of a 4- or 5-year baccalaureate degree, preferably, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Computer Science, Accountancy, Marine Engineering, Maritime Transportation, Civil Engineering, and Naval Architecture.
For enlistment, applicants should have finished at least 72 units of college course or have graduated a 2-year vocational and associate courses, preferably Electrical, Welding, Plumbing, Mechanics, Electronics and Communications, Aviation and Aircraft Maintenance and Heavy Equipment Operators, and aged between 18 and 23 years.
Qualified applicants for officership will undergo the Naval Officers Candidate Course, while applicants for enlisted personnel will undergo the Basic Seamanship Course.
For more details, please contact the Personnel Office, Headquarters Naval Forces Central. (rmn-PIA-7/HFG/NAVFORCEN)