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Two new suits were filed by media organizations
Monday in connection with the failed rebellion on November 29, 2007,
in Makati.
At the Makati Regional Trial
Court, a group of the journalists filed a P10-million class suit
against Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Justice Secretary Raul
Gonzalez, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., the Armed Forces
chief, Hermogenes Esperon Jr., the national police chief, Avelino
Razon Jr., and four ranking officials of the Philippine National
Police. The group that filed the case includes the National Union of
Journalists of the Philippines, the Center for Media Freedom and
Responsibility, and the Philippine Center for Investigative
Journalism, other journalists and media advocates.
The class suit seeks a permanent
writ of injunction and temporary restraining order against further
threats and future arrests of journalists. The court granted a
72-hour restraining order also on Monday.
The group is seeking P10 million
in damages, including P500,000 as actual damages, P5 million as
moral damages and P4.5 million as exemplary damages that the
plaintiffs said were intended to drive home the point that it would
be “costly for those who would abuse the power momentarily
entrusted to them by the sovereign citizens of this land,” the
petition said.
Razon said the filing of the
class suit by journalists will give them a chance to defend
themselves in the proper forum, and it will not dent its
relationship with the media.
The complainants also asked the
regional trial court to prohibit the respondents from issuing
advisories, which, in effect, censor the media.
Lead counsel Harry Roque said,
“The filing of the class suit is important because is sends a
message to those who want to trample on our constitutional rights
and for the Constitution.”
He added that the restraining
order was necessary to “prevent these officials from harassing
journalists in the course of their work.”
“This should served as a
warning to all that the Philippine press, the individuals and groups
that composed it, have passed the stage of issuing statements and
will supplement such campaigns for public awareness with the use of
all legal means,” Roque said.
Second suit
Meanwhile, at the Supreme Court,
members of the television network ABS-CBN, other journalists and
media advocates filed a petition for a prohibition, injunction and a
temporary restraining order against state security forces.
“This petition is urgent
because the highest justice, police and military officials of the
State have been threatening the press with arrest, criminal
prosecution and criminal liability for covering police and military
operations involving military rebels,” according to ABS-CBN
petition.
This suit is different from the
petition for a writ of amparo filed last week by 11 ABS-CBN
journalists and crewmen who were arrested after the November 29
standoff at Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati.
--Jomar Canlas And Anthony A. Vargas
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