Chronicle Editor-Publisher ready to file counter charge
Editor-Publisher of the Negros Chronicle Ely Dejaresco is neither threatened nor scared with the Valencia Mayor Rodolfo Gonzales’ threat to file libel charges against the publication after it published an article concerning Valencia town regarding a report coming from the Commission on Audit.
Earlier, Mayor Rodolfo Gonzales called for a press conference where he denied allegations that there is more than 20 million pesos wealth of the town which is “missing”. In the same press conference, the mayor strongly criticized the Chronicle’s publisher. He disputed with the publication’s use of the terms “missing” and “nowhere to be found” fortunes. The mayor said he did not steal the said wealth.
On the other hand, Dejaresco pointed out that the report did not state that the wealth was not stolen and most of all, it did not say that the mayor stole the said property of the town. Dejaresco disclosed that the terms used in the COA report of Senior Auditor Juanita Ybio are even worse saying that the more than 20 million pesos property “cannot be ascertained”. The editor-publisher of Negros chronicle said that it is very clear that what Valencia Mayor Gonzales did is a form of harassment in order for the publication not to publish the COA report. Dejaresco added that he is willing to provide a space for Mayor Gonzales in the Negros Chronicle for him to express his side.
Dejaresco further criticized the mayor for heading to another media institution instead of giving his answer to the issue in the same publication which published the report. He said that the mayor has the right to reply and he will not prohibit the mayor from exercising his right in the publication.
Dejaresco said if the mayor pursues the filing of a libel charge against the publication, then he is also ready to file a counter charge against him.
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Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:19 pm