“It’s a downer” was how opposition senator Chiz Escudero described the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippine’s (CBCP) position on the on-going political crisis brought about by the ZTE scandal.

Escudero expressed this disappointment after the CBCP issued a statement but for the resignation of the embattled President Arroyo.

The senator said he finds it ironic that the CBCP issued a bland statement about the on-going scandals in the government when during the EDSA 1 and EDSA 2 revolts which had massive election cheating and corruption issues at hand respectively, it strongly condemned the government then.

“It is with deep regret that after a hastily called closed door meeting, this is only what the CBCP had to say. The issues hounding the administration today are the same issues of the past two governments which the Church had helped fought against. With massive poll cheating and high-level corruption in the Arroyo administration being hung out dry in the open, I don’t know anymore how far it would take for the CBCP to take a stronger and clearer stand against all these” Escudero said. Read more

Juan P. Dayang, president of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI), has urged the decriminalization of libel to avoid its being used to muzzle the press in performing its solemn duty of providing adequate and truthful information that affects the well-being of our people.

“Persons or organizations guilty of libel should suffer a reasonable fine, depending on the gravity of the offense, but they should not suffer imprisonment.” Dayang explained to the joint Senate committees on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws chaired by Senaator Richard Gordon and the Public Information and Mass Media chaired by Senator Bong Revilla.

In a position paper, Dayang informed the Senate committees that the threat of a libel suit is often used to prevent the media from reporting or discussing issues that are of paramount interest to the public.

Dayang’s sentiment was earlier acknowledged in a recent message made before the International Conference on Impunity and Press Freedom by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Reynato S. Puno who said that international  organizations had identified two threats to freedom of expression and the free flow of information and ideas: censorship by killing and the abuse of restrictive defamation and libel laws. Read more

DAGUPAN CITY – A proposed Chinatown in Dagupan City could be an added attraction if not an additional tourism destination in Dagupan City.

This was stressed by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, commenting on the desire of the Dagupan Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce led by Edison Co to build a China town in the entire stretch of Rizal Street.

Fernandez, a member of the continuously increasing Filipino-Chinese community in Dagupan, said the chamber is asking Mayor Alipio Fernandez, Jr. to endorse their plan to build Dagupan’s Chinatown.

“I’m sure Mayor Fernandez will approve the chamber’s request since it is of no expense to the city government. Besides, the establishment of the Chinatown jibes with the urban renewal program of the city,” the vice mayor said.

The proposed local Chinatown will be similar to Ongpin Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila, where most of the establishments are owned by traders of Chinese descents. Read more