STATEMENT ON THE LIBEL CASE FILED BY SAMAR GOVERNOR MICHAEL TAN AGAINST REPORTERS JAZMIN BONIFACIO AND GABRIEL CEJAS AND ITS DISMISSAL.
(May 25,2022)
Eastern Visayas News and Metro Tacloban Times faced squarely and with pride the libel case filed last March 4, 2022 by Samar Gov. Michael Tan , against reporters/journalists Jazmin Bonifacio and Gabriel Cejas relative to the airing of the "Reporter's Diary, episode 1- titled " An Kasakit han Samar " (The Agony of Samar) via the said media outfits.
Mayo 17, 2022 nakarawat han Eastern Visayas News ngan Metro Tacloban Times an desisyon han Catbalogan Prosecutors Office kasumpay han Libel nga kaso nga igin sampa kontra ha ira. Diin gin disisyonan han piskaliya han Catbalogan nga IGBASURA ( DISMISS) an nasabi nga kaso.
EV News and Metro Tacloban Times would like to express our thanks, First, to God, for you have never failed us, giving us the courage and strength in times when we are weak.
Ha Piskaliya han Catbalogan nga nag tratar hin patas nga pag tagad han amon kaso.
Ngadto han amon legal counsel, Atty. Alma Uy, thank you so much for your hard work, you worked tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome han amon kaso, and we can't thank you enough.
To our friends, Atty. Edgar Navales, Atty. Annie Rose Labine, to Mirriam Desacada of Phil. Star, Ronnie Yanuario of Magic Fm & to our Rappler Family, and all the followers of EV News and Metro Tacloban Times, who stood for us, when there was none by our side. Thank you for all the support and love.
Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable.
Eastern Visayas News and Metro Tacloban Times, together with Jazmin Bonifacio and Gabriel Cejas will not be cowed by libel case which is clearly meant to harass and force them to stop airing the misfeasance, malfeasance and corruption committed by those in the government especially against those people who controls the reigns of the provincial government. Instead, the filing of the libel case/s against the Eastern Visayas News and Metro Tacloban Times, and against Jazmin Bonifacio and Gabriel Cejas, will not deter them, and all the more give them more zealousness and courage, to make public truthful and issues and concerns that affect the interest of the people of Samar. It is the best interest of all the people of Eastern Visayas, and the people of the Province of Samar in particular, that the EV News and MT Times, and Jazmin Bonifacio and Gabriel Cejas, take pride in protecting above all other interests, political or otherwise.
We will not stop bringing to light and to the knowledge of the people of Samar all the evils of governance committed by all the public officials who put their personal interests above the interest of the people whom they swear to protect.
JAZMIN BONIFACIO | GABRIEL CEJAS
Eastern Visayas News & Metro Tacloban Times
