Libeling ghosts

GHOSTS OF libels past have just been awakened from the deep to haunt local journalism anew.
Saying he was not interviewed by Punto! and wondering how “they came up with such a ridiculous story,” one Paul Ryan Puri, purported head of the Angeles City Sports Office threatened, nay, readied libel charges against this paper for – pun intended here – “paninirang puri.”
Puri deemed he had to regain some honor lost with Thursday’s banner, City sports head hit over ‘ghost’ workers with the sub-head Nets P0.4 million in six months.
Ever mindful of its own like a fretful mother hen, the Angeles City Information Office (CIO) produced the press release denying everything that our banner story contained. I half expected it to lecture us anew on the Ethics of Journalism like it did with its letter of denial about the police cars withdrawn by the honorable mayor in consequence to the unceremonious sacking of his hand-picked police chief, Senior Supt. George Gaddi last month.
So, okay, we take Puri’s word – per the CIO release – that he was not interviewed by Punto! This, not necessarily disbelieving the attestation of our editor that he talked to Puri over the phone the day before the story came out, duly affirmed by our administrative staff, the simply beautiful Tere Villanueva, who received the call from Puri himself; not necessarily deeming as pure hoax the number of text messages exchanged between Puri and the editor.
Let us leave that at that – Puri said he did not, the editor said he did – and let the people be the judge, or the fiscal’s office if ever a libel case is ever filed, or a trial judge if ever such case prospered.
What we perceive clearly here is the evolvement of instant denial as a policy at city hall; and the threat of libel as an instrument of that policy. At least where the person of Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno is concerned.
Blueboy is an amiable fellow. We have said this once. We say it again, and again, and again. A likeable chap is Blue whether at the golf course, in Congress or at the Angeles City Hall.
It is perhaps an accident, if not a cruel joke of circumstances that such a nice guy as Blueboy finds himself enmeshed with ghosts and libels.
The recently departed and much-lamented Dante Fabian of Sun-Star Pampanga must be laughing his heart, err, soul?, out in the Great Yonder.
Dante, it was that busted the “ghost pipes” scandal that hounded and haunted Blueboy’s congressional terms.
Dante, it was that Blueboy slapped with a libel case that landed him – for a few hours – at the cell of that police station at the foot of Pandan Bridge. Joining his late elder brother Ody in the experience, nay, destiny of a jail for libel. Which contributed to their greatness as journalists.
Dante, of course, was acquitted of the libel charge.
Now, come the “ghost workers” turn to haunt Blueboy.
No, Blueboy, was never mentioned in the story as having anything to do with the “ghost workers.” His signature though appeared in some appointment papers of the alleged “ghosts.”
Given the situation, it would have been the wise thing for Blueboy to have played ghost-buster by calling for an investigation of the whole issue, and letting the chips fall wherever they may. As it were, to let the spirits rest peacefully if found benevolent; or if found malevolent, splashed with the shame and punishment of the green plasma – or whatever that Dr. Egon and company busted their monsters with.
The instant denial and threat of libel from the CIO did a great disservice to Blueboy. Notwithstanding it was only a minor functionary at city hall that is involved. In a paraphrase of the old Tagalog saying: Kay Puri ang hataw, kay Blueboy ang latay. It portrayed him to be the kunsintidor , if not the pikon, that he is not, has never been, mayhaps, never will be.
A libel case for exposing ghost projects and ghost workers will not the least instill in the media the chilling effect it is purported to impact. Libel, on the contrary, will enliven their spirits. Libel, especially from government officials smarting from exposes of anomalies, being a badge of honor proudly worn, nay, flaunted by media.
And with the recent memorandum of the Supreme Court on non-imprisonment for libel conviction, there’s a ghost of chance that media will ever be cowed by a libel threat.
Go, sue? Think again, guys. Think Blue.