Group of municipal councilors bars journalists from covering election

CMFR/Philippines – An official barred journalists from covering the election of officers of a provincial league of municipal councilors in the town of Virac, province of Catanduanes, on 2 September 2013. Catanduanes province is some 500 kilometers south of Manila.

Radyo ng Bayan-Virac station manager Arlene Bagadiong together with other journalists went to the Catanduanes Provincial Capitol dome to cover the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) election of officers. But they were prevented from entering the venue. PCL-Catanduanes interim president Juan Velchez Jr. barred them reportedly saying that it was a part of the PCL guidelines and national policy.  The PCL is among the local government officials’ “leagues” of the Department of Interior and Local Governments mandated by the Local Government Code  of 1991 (RA 7160).

The journalists insisted on their right to cover the event and were allowed to enter the place at 12:20 p.m., or an hour after they arrived.

“At first we were barred for less than an hour, but we asserted our rights. Then we were allowed to enter the place but during the casting of votes we were advised to leave the place and to go back for the actual counting of votes,” Bagadiong told CMFR in a text message last 2 September 2013.

According to Bagadiong, they were escorted by executive director Wilson Paclibar of PCL-National to the venue. Velchez, apologized, and told the journalists that they could now cover and stay even during the vote casting. He explained that the officers agreed on a meeting that only the councilors and the PCL Commission on Elections (COMELEC) would be allowed at the venue.

Velchez told CMFR in a text message last 3 September 2013 that he was saddened to know that the media had been prevented from covering the election.

“I was also saddened when I found out that they were not allowed to enter the venue. I was busy presiding the plenary session during that time. But during recess, I came to them. I apologized and let them observe the proceedings,” Velchez texted CMFR in vernacular.

The journalists decided to leave the place and go back after the vote casting with respect to the PCL policy that only the councilors and their COMELEC will only be allowed in the venue during the casting of votes.

Bagadiong insisted that the media must not be barred in these events and hoped that the PCL should consider reviewing their policy.