Iloilo City mayor prohibit newspapers running “malicious” reports

CMFR/ Philippines – The mayor of Iloilo City threatened to bar newspapers that will publish “malicious reports” about the city government and the International River Summit from covering the Summit. Iloilo City is approximately 464 kilometers south of Manila.

The International River Summit, organized by the local government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was held from May 30 to June 1 in Eon Centennial Convention Center in Jaro, Iloilo City.  The mayor made the statement on May 30.

“All national and local newspapers are welcome, but those who will publish malicious and libelous stories are barred from covering the summit” Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog told the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).

Mabilog said he was not violating press freedom. “All newspapers are welcome. We even have a reporter from The News Today who interviewed us earlier. Just don’t publish malicious stories,” he added.

Mabilog earlier filed a Php15.2 million libel complaint against Junep Ocampo, editor-in-chief of The News Today (TNT), and Manuel “Boy” Mejorada, columnist of TNT. A libel complaint he also filed against businessman Rommel Ynion, publisher of TNT, has been dismissed.  A report in the Manila newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer said Ynion may run for mayor in next year’s mid-term elections.

Nestor Burgos Jr., chairman of National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) told CMFR that no Iloilo newspaper was banned from covering the summit. Burgos added that Mayor Mabilog rarely threatens to bar newspapers from covering events if they write “malicious stories.”

Mabilog’s libel complaint stemmed from Mejorada’s claim that Mabilog misused the Php2-million (approximately USD 46,930) cash donation received by the Honest and Accountable Living for a Graft-free Iloilo City (Haligi) Foundation from the United Parcel Services (UPS) Foundation in 2008. The fund was supposed to be used for English language teaching competency programs for public school teachers in Iloilo City. Mabilog is the founding chair and currently serves as chief financial officer while his brother is the present chair of the foundation.