KBP fines Cortes P1, 000 for insults

Radio block timer Reynante "Rey" Cortes has been reprimanded and slapped with a P1, 000 fine by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas-Cebu Chapter after being found guilty of name-calling and personal insults against Philippine Reclamation Authority Director Elberto Emphasis using his radio program in dyLA.

The KBP Cebu board of directors en banc yesterday affirmed and approved the result of the investigation conducted by its standard authority headed by Marlon Baula.

Under the Radio Code, name-calling and personal insult are not allowed in broadcasting.

The formal complaint filed by Emphasis is not yet included in the said investigation, according to Baula.

However, the decision of the KBP-Cebu Chapter is still to be reviewed by KBP national committee for final implementation.

Cortes and Lito Solon were arrested in an entrapment operation by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation last September 29 in a mall restaurant while allegedly receiving an envelope of money from Emphasis in exchange for their silence. Solon, who is not accredited with the KBP wasn't included in the fine.

Emphasis was reportedly the subject of commentaries by the two radio block timers who called him a thief and a swindler on air, he is now working on their perpetual ban from broadcasting.

The NBI has also filed robbery charges against Cortes and Solon, however the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office downgraded it to grave threats charges. - Gregg M. Rubio