QC family court cases declared off limits to media

A Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has reiterated yesterday its policy of banning the media from covering family court cases.

Judge Rosalina Luna Pison of RTC Branch 107 has posted a big sign on the court’s door reminding the media that they cannot obtain records and information regarding family related cases.

Court employees told The STAR that the court policy has been in place since 2002, but cases like the one involving Negros Occidental Rep. Iggy Arroyo have been published (not in The STAR).

The publication of the Arroyo story has triggered strong reaction from the Arroyo camp who threatented to file legal action againsts the newspapers for publishing details of a confidential case.

"Copies of the order was already sent to your legal office for your guidance" a court employee told The STAR.

The notice said all information regarding family cases cannot be released to the media.

"The court understand the need of media people to obtain information on certain cases, however restraint is desirable in cases involving family relations," the court said.

It added that the "family is an inviolable institution" which the state protects. "For it is from the power and unity of the family that the nation draws its strength and pursuant to this the court is duty bound to protect the family and its members."

The order said that when family relations cases are brought to court, the judges try their best to reconcile the parties and if unable to do so keep the separation of spouses as quiet as possible so as not to cause traumatic experience among the members, especially the children.

"It has has been the experience of this court that publication of information relative to warring spouses foment endless and painful frictionamong the parties involved. Most of all they cause great prejudice to children who, because of the publicity, are exposed to tsismis (gossip) and trauma," it explained.

"This court therefore has adopted a policy to assist with utmost case problematic spouses and their children," it added. – Perseus Echeminada