Apostol wants records of new cases  available to the media

Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol wants to restore complete transparency in his office by making all records of newly filed case available to the media.

Apostol said he believes that they cannot have the moral ascendancy to call for transparency in government if they will not set an example for themselves.

He assured the members of the Cebu media that he will draft a letter requesting Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to allow him to provide the media access to all cases filed before them.

Records of the newly filed cases at the ombudsman have been kept from the media since the time of former deputy ombudsman Primo Miro.  The move triggered protest by the members of the media covering the Palace of Justice before but these proved futile despite the intervention of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

Miro claimed the order to keep newly filed cases confidential came from Manila following complaints from respondents that they are being unfairly put to public ridicule because of the publications of the cases filed against them.

At present, members of the media get information of newly filed cases directly from the parties.  Apostol said he wants to follow what is being practiced at the Department of Justice wherein complaints at the prosecutor’s office are readily available to the media.  – Fred P. Languido/BRP