Estrada rules out libel vs

Although incensed by Time Magazine's cover story on him, President Estrada has ruled out filing libel charges against the publication.

Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said it will be an exercise in futility to lodge criminal cases against either Time or its writer Terry McCarthy.

Zamora theorized that the magazine already had the article prepared even before McCarthy arrived in Manila for interviews with the President.

He said Mr. Estrada regretted that none of the issues discussed in the interviews came out in the story published in Time's May 29 issue.

"There was not even an attempt at fairness. In short, the story had already been written even before the writer came (to Manila)," Zamora said.

He also noted that the pictures used in the article were stills of the President's old movies.

Press Secretary Ricardo Puno described McCarthy as a "parachute journalist" who flies into the country and instantly becomes an expert political analyst after staying here for one or two days.

"He (Mr. Estrada) said it was a bit unfair for him since he was very hospitable to the writer," Zamora said.

He recalled that McCarthy was even afforded the special privilege of riding in the same chopper with the President during a visit to a relocation site in Taytay, Rizal last April 19, Mr. Estrada's birthday.

Zamora also clarified that the call by Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer Jaime Policarpio for a boycott of Time was just a suggestion.

"You cannot really boycott it. We cannot disallow the circulation of that magazine here. So whether we like it or not, Time Magazine will come out here."

Puno said he has drafted a letter to the editors of Time denouncing the "insulting" article about the President.

House Assistant Majority Leader Rodolfo Albano batted for a ban on the entry of McCarthy into the country as he branded the story as "revolting."

Senate President Pro Tempore Blas Ople said the article should not be taken seriously, adding it was just one of the magazine's strategies to boost its sales.

For his part, Sen. Ramon Revilla described the story as a "supermarket tabloid journalism" based on hearsay and rumors.

Makati Rep. Joker Arroyo warned, however, that over-reacting to the story would only "arouse more curiosity about what was written, rather than whether it is true or false."

On the other hand, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza said the report was "inaccurate, unfair and not objective."

"The article is revolting in that it shows how low this reporter and Time regard the entire Filipino people. He should no longer be allowed to step on Philippine soil. He doesn't deserve our hospitality," Albano said.

He said declaring McCarthy a persona non grata would show to the whole world that Filipinos would not allow foreigners to "mangle their President."

"Not even the most rabid Filipino oppositionist do that to the President," Albano said.

"Time is just one of those international magazines that sometimes engage in exacerbation and exaggeration in order to keep their market shares. We don't have to take this accusation seriously. We should be more concerned about our local magazines," Ople said.

He added that the article has not dampened investors' confidence in the local market.

"In general, they (investors) know from their own dependable sources that the situation in the Philippines is stable, that the government is stable despite isolated incidents of hostage-taking and kidnapping," Ople said.

Revilla supported Policarpio's call for a boycott of Time. "If Time Magazine can abuse the democratically guaranteed right to free speech and expression, then we also exercise our freedom to choose not to buy a substandard article disguised in a newsmagazine of supposed superior quality."

Atienza noted "an emerging pattern to destabilize the government," adding that Time could have been used as an unwitting tool for the campaign.

On the other hand, the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said the article depicted the truth about the presidency and the situation in the country.

"It's about time that Time wrote something true about the Philippines, for a change," KMU chairman Crispin Beltran said.