SC to discuss live coverage of Maguindanao massacre promulgation

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2019 06:52:40 +0000

The Supreme Court will tackle today, Tuesday, Dec. 10, the request of various media organizations, including government news agencies, for a live coverage of the Dec. 19 promulgation of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221’s decision on the Maguindanao massacre cases.

Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta said:

“The request is in the agenda of the SC En Banc (full court) tomorrow (Dec. 10). There is already a recommendation from the Office of the Court Administrator and Public Information Office (PIO) but I have to consult the En Banc.”

“There is already a recommendation as to whether or not (live coverage would be allowed) and how many (media practitioners) would be accommodated inside or outside (the courtroom).”

Last week, government media agencies requested for live coverage of the promulgation of the decision starting at 9 a.m. at the Quezon City Jail annex in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

In a letter to Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, Undersecretary Jose Joel Sy Egco of the Presidential Communications Operations Office and concurrent executive secretary of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security told the SC:

“In this regard, may we respectfully request your good office to allow the government communications agencies — PCOO, Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), Philippine News Agency (PNA), People’s Television-4 (PTV-4) — to cover the said event so that the proceedings can be aired on all government traditional and social media platforms.”

The same request for live media coverage had been aired by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) in a letter to Peralta.

“Due to its undeniable public importance, the NUJP, the CMFR, and the PCIJ respectfully requests the Supreme Court to allow journalists and media organizations to conduct live coverage and streaming of the Dec. 19, 2019 promulgation of the decision on the Ampatuan Massacre,” the group told Peralta in its letter.

The time, date, and place of the promulgation of the decision in the decade-old Maguindanao massacre cases was announced by
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