Re: Zaldy Ampatuan

EN BANC

[A.M. No. 10-11-5-SC. December 10, 2019.]

RE: PETITION FOR RADIO AND TELEVISION COVERAGE OF THE MULTIPLE MURDER CASES AGAINST MAGUINDANAO GOVERNOR ZALDY AMPATUAN, ET AL.

[A.M. No. 10-11-6-SC. December 10, 2019.]

RE: PETITION FOR THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PRESENT COURT HANDLING THE TRIAL OF THE MASSACRE OF FIFTY-SEVEN [57] PERSONS, INCLUDING THIRTY-TWO [32] JOURNALISTS, IN AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO INTO A SPECIAL COURT HANDLING THIS CASE ALONE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACHIEVING GENUINE SPEEDY TRIAL AND FOR THE SETTING UP OF VIDEOCAM AND MONITOR JUST OUTSIDE THE COURT FOR THE JOURNALISTS TO COVER AND FOR THE PEOPLE TO WITNESS THE 'TRIAL OF THE DECADE' TO MAKE IT TRULY PUBLIC AND IMPARTIAL AS COMMANDED BY THE CONSTITUTION

[A.M. No. 10-11-7-SC. December 10, 2019.]

RE: LETTER OF PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III FOR THE 'LIVE MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE TRIAL'

NOTICE

Sirs/Mesdames :

Please take notice that the Court en banc issued a Resolution datedDECEMBER 10, 2019, which reads as follows: cTDaEH

"A.M. No. 10-11-5-SC (Re: Petition for Radio and Television Coverage of the Multiple Murder Cases against Maguindanao Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, et al.); A.M. No. 10-11-6-SC (Re: Petition for the Constitution of the Present Court Handling the Trial of the Massacre of Fifty-Seven [57] Persons, Including Thirty-Two [32] Journalists, in Ampatuan, Maguindanao into a Special Court Handling This Case Alone for the Purpose of Achieving Genuine Speedy Trial and for the Setting up of Videocam and Monitor Just outside the Court for the Journalists to Cover and for the People to Witness the 'Trial of the Decade' to Make It Truly Public and Impartial as Commanded by the Constitution); and A.M. No. 10-11-7-SC (Re: Letter of President Benigno S. Aquino III for the 'Live Media Coverage of the Maguindanao Massacre Trial'). —

Acting on the request for the live coverage and broadcast in various platforms of the promulgation of the Decision in Criminal Case Nos. Q-09-162148-72, Q-09162216-31, Q-10-162652-66, Q-10-163766 and GL-Q-12-178638 (People of the Philippines vs. Datu Andal 'Unsay' Ampatuan, Jr., et al.), pending before Branch 221, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City, scheduled on December 19, 2019 at the Metro Manila District Jail Annex 2, BJMP, Camp Bagong Diwa, made by the following, namely:

(i) CNN Philippines, through Edward Gabud, Senior Desk Editor;

(ii) Rappler, through Lian Nami Aloen P. Buan, Multimedia Reporter;

(iii) National Press Club of the Philippines, through Rolando Gonzalo, President;

(iv) National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, through Elizabeth C. Panelo, Secretary-General; Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, through Melinda Quintos de Jesus, Executive Director; and Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, through Malou C. Mangahas, Executive Director;

(v) ABS-CBN, through Regina E. Reyes, Head, Integrated News; and

(vi) Presidential Communications Operations Office, Radio Television Malacañang, Philippine News Agency, PTV-4, through Undersecretary Jose Joel M. Sy Egco, Executive Director, Presidential Task Force on Media Security,

the Court Resolved, upon the recommendation of Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, to GRANT the request for the live coverage and broadcast in various media platforms of the promulgation of the Decision in the aforesaid criminal cases, subject to the following guidelines:

(a) There shall only be two (2) cameras inside the courtroom, both manned by PTV personnel subject to the control and supervision of the Public Information Office (PIO) of this Court. One camera shall be directed at the judge and whoever will read the Decision, or the pertinent parts thereof, on a wide shot, while the other shall be directed at the parties, their counsels, and the public, also on a wide shot. In no case shall the two (2) cameras pan the surroundings or zoom in on any individual. The said two (2) cameras shall feed into the cables of the different media networks to enable the live coverage and broadcast in various media platforms. CHTAIc

(b) Only accredited media representatives shall be allowed inside the courtroom, subject to the space limitation. They shall, however, be prohibited from bringing inside their cellphones, cameras, audio-video recorders, or any recording gadget. It shall likewise be prohibited to take pictures or record the proceedings from inside the courtroom.

(c) No interviews shall be allowed inside the courtroom, whether before, during or after the promulgation.

The Court further Resolved to:

"(a) DIRECT the Court Administrator and the Chief of the PIO to ENSURE that (i) the subject promulgation shall be orderly and (ii) the live media coverage and broadcast shall comply with the above Guidelines; and

(b) DIRECT the Chief of the PIO to IMMEDIATELY UPLOAD the subject Decision in the website of the Court." Gesmundo, J., on official business. Carandang, J., on leave. Zalameda, J., on official leave. (adv45)

 

Very truly yours,

(SGD.) EDGAR O. ARICHETAClerk of Court