DOJ officials ordered to shut up

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has ordered DOJ officials to stop making statements to media without any clearance from him.

"(No) statements to media on matters that affect policies and important pending cases and/or issues affecting the department will be released without my clearance," he said in a memorandum.

"The Office of the President has called our attention that there is no single voice speaking for the (DOJ)."

Some statements released to media have given the impression that they are the DOJ’s official position, he added.

Gonzalez issued the memorandum after reporters got hold of a supposed DOJ resolution declaring as Filipinos eight basketball players with questionable citizenship.

He had ordered an investigation into the leak, Gonzalez said.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez said there is a "difference" between the cases of Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., when he was Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB) chairman, and that of chairman Edu Manzano of the Optical Media Board (OMB).

The VRB is the OMB’s forerunner.

Gonzalez said Revilla was not asked to give up his showbiz career when he was VRB chairman because nobody had complained at that time.

On the other hand, somebody has appealed to the DOJ to stop Manzano from appearing on television and the movies to avoid a conflict of interest, and to allow him to fulfill his duties as a government official, he added.

Gonzalez said the DOJ has ruled that Manzano should choose between his showbiz career and his chairmanship of the OMB.

"They are asking for a reconsideration, but I cannot discuss the details," he said.

"The case of Senator Revilla now is different. He belongs to a separate branch of government and that is the legislature. It is up to the Senate ethics committee to decide (whether he can pursue his showbiz career)."