THE Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday allowed a limited live media coverage of the Sandiganbayan’s promulgation of the decision in the plunder cases against former President Joseph Estrada.

In an en banc resolution, the Court granted the motion of the Kapisan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) through its president Butch Canoy following an en banc session.

The Court allowed live media coverage on the condition that only the video camera of the Supreme Court Public Information Office (SC-PIO) shall be allowed inside the courtroom, and this will be operated only by its personnel.

Jose “Midas” Marquez, SC-PIO chief, said the video camera shall focus only on the court personnel reading the decision and that it shall stop the airing of the promulgation immediately after the reading of the decision.

The ruling added that television and radio stations shall be allowed to hook up with the video camera of the SC-PIO, and they shall, in turn, allow other stations to hook up with them.

“The live media coverage shall, at all times, be under the control of the Presiding Justice [of the Sandiganbyan],” the resolution said.

In its motion, the KBP claimed that denying live media coverage would be tantamount to denying the people’s constitutional right to information on matters of public concern and national interest.

The group explained that live media coverage is a mode of delivering vital information to the people on public matters “at the soonest possible opportunity” in the interest of transparency and government accountability.

“The right to information on matters of public concern is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. The spirit behind the right to information is to ensure transparency and accountability in the conduct of public service. Further, laws and regulations on public accountability underscores mandatory time limitations to emphasize the need for timely and speedy delivery of information in the furtherance of transparency and accountability,” the KBP said.

While it admitted that public access may not be allowed during trials of cases owing to compelling reasons, the KBP stressed that promulgation of decisions are public in nature and thus should be open to the public.

Furthermore, the group said that live media coverage is more important in the present case since no less than a former President stands accused in the said suit.

“Public access to the promulgation of the decision is especially important because the accused in this case has been elected to the highest office in the Philippines by a substantial number of voters, and the cases brought against him were precisely the reason for his ouster from office,” the KBP added.

In addition, it said that the conditions prevailing when the prohibition on live media coverage was imposed by the SC are no longer present when the Sandiganbayan renders its decision on Wednesday morning.

“It was a prevailing thought [then] that media coverage might affect the important disposition of cases. Such conditions no longer exist, as what is sought to be covered, live, by media is a promulgation of decision,” the KBP added.

Meanwhile, classes in 23 public schools near the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City are suspended on Wednesday, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced.

The DepEd was prompted to suspend classes in anticipation of heavy traffic and possible untoward incidents when the antigraft court renders its decision on the plunder and other cases against former President Estrada and several other individuals.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said classes in public schools in Mendiola were also suspended because Estrada supporters may hold protest actions in the area.

Classes are suspended, he said, at Doña Juana Elementary School, Batasan Hills Elementary School, San Diego Elementary School, Commonwealth Elementary School, Culiat Elementary School, New Era Elementary School,

Pasong Tamo Elementary School, Holy Spirit Elementary School, Payatas A Elementary School, Payatas B Elementary School, Payatas B Annex Elementary School, Payatas C Elementary School, Lupang Pangako Elementary School, Bagong Silangan Elementary School, among others.

Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School, Commonwealth High School, Holy Spirit Annex High School,  Batasan Hills National High School, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma High School, Bagong Silangan High School, Culiat High School, New Era High School and Pasong Tamo High School.

The administrators of the 33 private schools near the Sandiganbayan were given discretion whether to suspend classes or not. (With C. Mocon)

THE P83-million surveillance equipment contract that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) forged with a private company at the height of the government’s preparation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Cebu last year is not only “grossly overpriced” but is also “systematically flawed,” the complainant in the pending plunder case against the DPWH officials claimed.

SENATE investigators will start on Wednesday a formal inquiry into an alleged illegal investment syndicate involving Performance Investment Products Corp. (PIPC), which incurred losses amounting to millions of dollars worth of investments in foreign-exchange trade in what senators suspect to be “another investment scam.”

Soldiers tasked to augment policemen in maintaining peace and order when the antigraft court renders its decision on the plunder case of former President Joseph Estrada got their final order on Tuesday—enforce the decision, be it against or favorable to the fallen leader.

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday allowed a limited live media coverage of the Sandiganbayan’s promulgation of the decision in the plunder cases against former President Joseph Estrada.

THE Bangko Sentral management is making life more difficult for an employee, denying him the privilege of overtime work usually on night shifts that boost the meager paychecks of regular work, apparently because of his activism.

A FUGITIVE Japanese businessman, who was ordered deported last year but who managed to disappear, finally surfaced at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Monday night and was immediately arrested.

Member-consumers of the Batangas Electric Cooperative II (Batelec II), the country’s largest, are alarmed by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to take over the criminal cases filed by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) against eight board members of the cooperative who have been linked to alleged multi-million-peso irregularities.