GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia asked yesterday for a copy of the video documentary “Corruption in Media: The Cebu Setting,” which was shown during the celebration of Cebu Press Freedom Week.

While she has yet to see the documentary, Garcia said she received reports that the video has placed the Capitol in a bad light.

She said Capitol consultant on information and revenue generation Rory Jon Sepulveda, who saw the video, told her that every time the documentary talked about corruption, it would show footages of the distribution of packed lunch at the Office of the Governor.

“That's a very serious allegation. That is a crime. It seems the presentation would say we are corrupting the members of media through bribery. Bribery is a serious crime,” said Garcia.

“Did I ever stop you from reporting on Balili, on the CICC (Cebu International Convention Center)?” Garcia asked reporters during her press conference yesterday.

The governor said at first, she spoke up in defense of the media, particularly the members of the Capitol Association of Reporters in Tri-Media, because she felt it was ironic that during the celebration of the Press Freedom Week, some of those in the “higher echelons” of media would inflict injustice on those perceived to be at the “bottom of the totem pole,” the reporters.

Garcia said she is now defending the Provincial Government because if Capitol reporters are perceived to be corrupted, then it is Capitol that is perceived to be the corruptor.

Garcia said the video documentary will be viewed by members of the Provincial Legal Office, headed by its officer-in-charge Atty. Marino Martinquilla, as well as lawyer-consultants under the Office of the Governor.

The team of lawyers will then recommend appropriate action Capitol would take after viewing the video.

Martinquilla wrote Michelle P. So, editor-in-chief of Sun.Star Superbalita and lead convenor of the 2010 Press Freedom Week, formally asking for a copy of the video documentary.

“We have been informed that the Cebu Provincial Government was shown and put in bad light in the said presentation, tending to cause dishonor, discredit or contempt, which is libelous and defined and punishable under the Revised Penal Code, by presenting its practice of serving packed lunches to visitors, which at times include some Cebu Capitol beat reporters who happen to be around during lunch time, as a form of media corruption,” the letter read.

So said she will give Martinquilla a copy of the video presentation, as well as the script, even if the latter was not asked for.

When asked for a comment on the statements of the governor, So said, “Let the video speak for itself.”

In a statement, Atty. Pachico A. Seares, executive director of the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC), said he has asked Cherry Ann Lim, assistant executive director of the CCPC, to provide the Office of the Governor and Rep. Pablo John Garcia a copy each of the 25-minute documentary, which was shown to reporters and mass communication students during the Press Freedom Week celebration.

In addition, Lim will give the Capitol the transcript of the narration and dialogue of the film. (The script is also uploaded at the CCPC website: cebucitizenspresscouncil.org.)

“Through the video and the script, they can see there is no basis for their suspicion that the film libels the Provincial Government. It was a clinical discussion of corruption as a subject of interest to Cebu’s practicing and future journalists,” he added.

Capitol asks for copy of video | Sun.Star Network Online