media law – Page 80 – marichulambino.com

computer — Photo print by Eric Kamp right-clicked from allposters.com used here for non-commercial purposes under terms of free blog-use by said site

Quote “Blogger faces libel charge for item on relief goods

By Julie M. Aurelio

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 22:50:00 01/21/2010 in:

Blogger faces libel charge for item on relief goods

Filed Under: Crime, blogs

Quote “MANILA, Philippines–A blogger who wrote about relief goods stored in a warehouse that allegedly did not reach victims of Tropical Storm “Ondoy” last year has been charged with libel for the malicious accusations on her website.

Quote “In a referral letter to the Quezon City prosecutors office, the National Bureau of Investigation filed the libel complaint against the blogger upon the request of then Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, the new health secretary.

Quote “The NBI identified the female blogger, who claimed to be a book author using the aliases “Jade Ceres Dolor,” “Jade Ceres Violet Dolor,” and “Ella Rose delos Santos.”

Quote “Cabral asked the NBI last year to investigate the identity of the blogger after reading a blog entry entitled “Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo (What good is help that comes if it is too late),” posted on ‘Blog ni Ella’ on Oct. 21, 2009.

Quote “The former social welfare secretary claimed the blog entry contained “malicious imputations against her, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and its employees.”

Quote “ “The article alluded that she and the DSWD employees are corrupt, having diverted donated goods for personal gain at the expense of the typhoon victims and downright incompetent,” the NBI said in its referral.

Quote “The blog contained uploaded photos of imported blankets and mats donated by foreign agencies stored in the warehouse. The blogger said they were not included in the relief bags she and fellow volunteers were asked to pack. The NBI learned that one of the volunteers who helped in the repacking was “Ella delos Santos.”

Quote “Delos Santos was subpoenaed by the NBI to give her side of the story and to take a polygraph test, but the NBI said the woman did not appear on the scheduled dates. It also checked with the hosting company of the domain name http://www.ellaganda.com and found out that the hosting contract with “Ella Rose delos Santos” or “Ellaganda” has been terminated since December 2008.

Quote “Another check with the publishing company which allegedly published the blogger’s book revealed that Ella and Jade “are one and the same person,” based on the way the assistant editor e-mailed the blogger.

Quote “Cabral earlier claimed the items were not rotting as the blogger alleged. The NBI noted that the blogger never visited the warehouses, and that it was another person who took the pictures that were uploaded in the blog.

Quote “ “If Dolor is sincere in bringing out the alleged corruption concerning the distribution of relief goods, she should have requested an investigation from the Office of the Ombudsman or any law enforcement agency,” the NBI said. Closed-quote.

From Myra “Just came back from the gym. I’m now 118 lbs after five months of training of just 30 minutes of work-out twice a week. I have more energy, feel stronger, and look good!” (i think i could use this for an ad copy.)

It’s always good to take photos when you’re on a program, or engaged in physical activities rather than just relying on a mirror because…. because you cannot freeze the image in the mirror long enough to evaluate it… (i’m gibberishing….maybe i should open my own twitter account)…

A.myra.two — photo by Rey Ramos, cropped and zoomed

I like this time of the day, it’s quiet. i don’t know why they call this ungodly hour — it is godly, you can almost hear the sighing of God at this time of the day or whatever it is that moves you; many times the neighbours here or maybe their household help, and vehicles, play loud, blaring music even if there’s no occasion, for no reason…i think people who blast their eardrums and disturb the peace for no reason do that, because they’re trying to drown out their thoughts (…if any) or maybe they cannot stand something about themselves, or their situation, or they think it’s “festive” to have loud music therefore they are “happy” if they have loud music blaring around them; or maybe it’s just “Filipino culture”… i don’t know. [it’s another matter if you’re driving on a long stretch of road and you’re trying to keep awake…that’s a good reason, (or if it’s your birthday, or a New Year’s party) — but everyday in a quiet neighbourhood, full blast …. you gotta be too self-absorbed to be doing that; or ignorant, or oblivious to the human race, you should have your own bullet-proof planet]

i think there are people who actually cannot stand one quiet day… or even a few quiet minutes, they gotta have noise in their house, maybe there are rumblings in their head that they need to snuffle out, i don’t know (why am i even theorizing about loud people!)

I’m gibberishing…because…i like this time of the day….you can faintly hear roosters from afar heralding a brand- new day.

(and later, i’m off to a quiet run — then, lots of people in just a little while, it’s good to wake up before everybody else does!)

by the way, got the NUJP invite on launch of Task Force Maguindanao Massacre late, will try to excerpt, squeeze in time, CJ Puno’s dissent in the denial of live media coverage in “In re Live Media Coverage of People vs. Estrada”; speaking of the Chief Justice, i’ll try to post some notes on the effort of the soon-to-be ex-President to replace him despite the constitutional prohibition against midnight appointments. later na lang ha. i’m still taking in the few moments of quiet…because…lots of people in the waking hours –!)