Accreditation of Two or More Newspapers of the Same Owner (OCA Circular No. 62-2003)
OCA Circular No. 71-06, issued on April 21, 2006, clarifies the accreditation policy for newspapers in relation to court publications. It establishes that an owner who publishes multiple newspapers can only have one accredited in a given Regional Trial Court (RTC) station to prevent unfair competition. This policy aims to ensure equitable opportunities for all newspaper owners in securing court-related publication contracts. However, owners can have their other newspapers accredited in different RTC stations. The circular serves as guidance for judges and court clerks regarding this accreditation process.
April 21, 2006
OCA CIRCULAR NO. 71-06
| TO | : | All Executive Judges, Presiding Judges and Clerks of Court of the Regional Trial Courts, Shari'a District Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, Shari'a Circuit Courts |
| SUBJECT | : | Accreditation of Two or More Newspapers of the Same Owner (OCA Circular No. 62-2003) |
The Supreme Court En Banc in its Resolution dated 21 March 2006, in A.M. No. 03-2-106-RTC, Re: Letter of Lalaine M. Jimenez, Publisher, Eastern Visayas Mail, Ormoc City, on the Legality of Court Accreditation of Two or More Newspapers of the Same Owner, Resolved to AUTHORIZE the Office of the Court Administrator to explain the policy enunciated in OCA Circular No. 62-2003, thus:
"The policy embodied in the above-mentioned circular is to limit, in each RTC station, the accreditation to a single newspaper of an owner who publishes more than one newspaper. Otherwise put, if an owner publishes two or more newspapers, he cannot accredit more than one paper in a particular RTC station. The rationale of the policy is to prevent unfair competition by ensuring that in each RTC station no single newspaper owner or publisher can have better chances over other owners or publishers in the raffle of court related publication contracts. Corollarily, the newspaper owner can have one or more of his papers accredited in other RTC stations. "
For the information and guidance of all concerned. HAISEa
ZENAIDA N. ELEPAÑOSenior Deputy Court Administratorand Officer-in-ChargeOffice of the Court Administrator