Justice secretary bans Times reporter from DOJ office

[IceColdBeer]

Justice secretary bans Times reporter from DOJ office


Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez has banned The Manila Times reporter covering his department from entering his office.

Gonzalez announced the ban during the plunder trial of former President Joseph Estrada at the Sandiganbayan Special Division Wednesday. The court had summoned Gonzalez to comment on a Times story on October 13 that he tried to strike a deal with Atong Ang to testify against Estrada.

The story, written by Jomar Canlas, was based on a telephone conversation between Gonzalez and Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio in the middle of Villa-Ignacio’s press conference in Gonzalez’s office on October 10. The two were apparently discussing the suggestion of taking Ang’s deposition in exchange for the government’s dropping its efforts to extradite him.

Canlas was summoned by the court to explain how he got the story.

Gonzalez denied the story, saying Canlas was not even at the press conference.

Canlas said he had a tape recording of the conversation in question.

Gonzalez then faced Canlas and told him, “Mr. Canlas, from now on you are banned from entering my office.”

Canlas replied, “I am not interested in entering your office, Mr. Secretary.”

Gonzalez told the court the tape could be considered a form of wiretapping.

Canlas said it could not have been a wiretap, because the conversation was taped during the press conference.

Estrada’s lawyer, Rene Saguisag, supported Canlas’s argument, saying there was nothing unusual with tape recorders being used at press conferences.

“If he was having a private conversation with Villa-Ignacio, Gonzalez should have stood up and left the room,” Saguisag said.

Saguisag said banning a media representative from the office of a public official is illegal and a “suppression of the freedom of expression.”

“Gonzalez cannot do that, he can take other actions but he cannot ban you from doing your work,” Saguisag said.

Villa-Ignacio admitted after the hearing that he had the conversation with Gonzalez.

The Times’ tape had Gonzalez telling Villa-Ignacio: “Dennis, tumawag ako sa iyo, kasi ’yung testimony ni Chavit needs corroboration [I called up because Chavit’s testimony needs corroboration] . . . ’yung sa kay Erap kailangan bang corroboration diyan [does the part about Erap need corroboration?]. No need? You think Atong Ang would be useful? Are you willing to give him deposition in exchange for nonextradition? Pag-usapan natin bastat worthwhile. [Let’s discuss it, it may be worthwhile].”

:bwahaha:

[mbt]

sira-ulo naman talaga iyang si [Si]Raul[o] Gonzalez e. wala namang ginawang tama yan as [in]justice secretary.

[BlueBimmer]

tuwing nakikita ko c gonzi sa tv, mukha nya laging smug expression, obnoxious hehe

[oldblue]

muka nga naging ulyanin na si Gonzales kasi pati mga pinagpaguran ng mga utilities company gusto pa i-suggest agawin ng gobyerno. pag hawak ng gobyerno utilities eh d lalo lang lumala yun.

[pissword]

buking na eh gagawa pa ng eksena

[IceColdBeer]

Never admit :eviltongu