Cebu Media Legal Aid backs plans to rap First Gentleman

Lawyers of the Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla) expressed their support for the plan of 42 of 43 media persons sued for libel by First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo to countersue him for P5 million.

Cemla lawyers agreed with the reasons for the return lawsuit: abuse of Arroyo's power to sue and intimidation of media.

As first gentleman, he is surrogate to President Arroyo and is directly or indirectly benefited by the vast powers of the presidency, Cemla lawyers said.

Also today, nine lawyers signed a public commitment as volunteers to Cemla, which will provide pro bono assistance to journalists with inadequate or no counsel in answering complaints for libel and other violations of law.

They are Eddie O. Barrita, Elias L. Espinoza, Piedad Y. Gonzalez, Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto, Francisco M. Malilong Jr., Fritz V. Quiñanola, Ma. Dee Seares-del Rosario, Pedro A. Rosito, and Rosemarie Olaño-Versoza.

Most of the signatories are journalists themselves or have experience in journalism. These are the members of the core group. Cemla is still accepting other volunteers.

Pachico A. Seares, acting coordinator, and Bobby Nalzaro witnessed the ceremony. Seares and Nalzaro said Cemla is a twin project of Cebu Media Medical Aid Fund (Cemmaf) which they and other Cebu media persons also initiated, with Cebu News Workers Foundation (Cenewof) as conduit.

Aside from seeking to help defend journalists in lawsuits, Cemla aims to set up a database on journalism law and ethics at the MBF Cebu Press Center that will help lawyers, journalists, and mass communication students in their work and study.

The document they signed lists the basic policies and procedures of Cemla in providing legal aid.