POLL EXEC IN TROUBLE OVER MEDIA BAN

Poll exec in trouble over media ban
By Felipe V. CelinoVisayas Bureau
Inquirer.net
Posted date: May 29, 2007

ROXAS CITY—Election Commissioner Resurreccion Borra gave a Roxas City election officer 10 days to answer the complaint of local journalists over the ban on media coverage during the canvassing of votes here.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Capiz chapter filed a complaint on May 16 against Roxas City election officer Genalyn Jimenez for banning journalists from covering the canvassing of votes here. The NUJP-Capiz addressed their letter-complaint to Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos, Commissioner Borra, Western Visayas Comelec regional director Renato Magbutay and provincial election supervisor Wil Arceño.

No comment
In a memorandum dated May 22, Borra ordered Jimenez to give her reasons for the media ban, said NUJP-Capiz president John Heredia.

However, Jimenez refused to issue any comment about the memorandum, except to ask them to wait for her written answer to Borra.

Magbutay earlier said Jimenez would be given a chance to answer once the NUJP files its complaint. However, Magbutay said that the media ban was improper since the canvassing has to be open to the public.

He added that Jimenez should have come up with an agreement with the media to ensure that the coverage would not be cumbersome.

Magbutay said he had ordered all election officers to be transparent in giving information to the public, especially the media.Jimenez earlier explained that she imposed the ban because the journalists were unruly and that they disrupted the proceedings of the board of canvassers.

She denied the request of two local television programs to cover the canvassing because she said she would feel uncomfortable.Jimenez also said there was no need for media coverage because the proceedings were transparent to the lawyers and the watchers of political parties.

Magbutay, however, said the Comelec recognizes the media as its information arm.