Carillo to radio blocktimer: Apologize publicly or I will sue you

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo is now taking steps as he intends to file libel charges against local radio blocktimer Naneth Garong who reportedly defamed him on air.

Carillo said he would only consider withdrawing from filing the case on a condition that Garong, dyLA blocktimer who is reportedly a member of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, would issue a public apology.

“Just an apology, she must be sure that she has to publish her apology in a daily newspaper,” Carillo told reporters yesterday.

For now, the National Telecommunications Commission-7 had asked dyLA executives to save the taped-on-air program anchored by Garong, who allegedly made libelous pronouncements against Carillo on September 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

“This regional office hereby requests your radio station to preserve the said program for 30 days or more from this date and shall be made available to the aggrieved party or to any other person only upon the order of the court,” read the letter to dyLA’s station manager dated September 29, 2015.

The request was in response to Carillo’s appeal to NTC-7 director Engineer Jesus Laureno to have a copy of the recorded program, which will be used as an evidence for the libel case he is planning to file.

Under NTC Memorandum Circular No. 05-06-2008, tapes or recordings from radio or television stations should be made available to complaining individual or organization to any other person upon court order.

The same memorandum mandates all radio and television outlets to record or tape their programs specifically live interviews, public affairs programs, public service programs, talk shows and live phone-in calls; and should be maintained by the stations for 10 days unless a longer period is required by NTC.

Carillo said he was glad that NTC acted to the request very soon for the filing process to start.

Although they asked for NTC’s assistance, the councilor said he also recorded Garong’s statements on September 28 when he happened to tune in to the radio program.

He further said that his group is taking turns in monitoring and recording radio programs.

“We have recorded all her statement and we have monitored (her radio program). That means, masipyat siya that would be another case. Every time her radio broadcast maligns my name, it is another case… The more she says, the more cases I shall file,” said Carillo.

Apart from radio recordings, Carillo and his staff have been preparing the affidavits of witnesses or those who also heard Garong’s radio program.

The councilor has declined opportunities for him to speak on Garong’s radio program and only demands for a public apology.

“She said she will give me opportunity (to have my side.) I ask her apology. She will have to [give] an apology for maligning my name on air not an opportunity for me to talk because she already maligned me,” he said, citing a principle on journalism that the side of public figures should be taken first before reporters draw any judgment or conclusion.

Garong, when sought for comment, said she respects whatever the procedure is.

“And with regard to his intent to withdraw his plan to file a case against me if I will apologize in public then I will do it because in the first place it is never my intention to malign or hurt anyone especially Gerry Carillo. I respect him as our city councilor and he deserves it,” she said.  (FREEMAN)