QC RTC stops ABS-CBN from presenting more witnesses in TRO case

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court barred ABS-CBN from presenting three more witnesses in the petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) filed by GMA Network against ABS-CBN.

GMA Network filed a petition for TRO asking the court to stop ABS-CBN from airing statements over its various TV and radio programs that depict GMA Network as responsible for manipulating the TV ratings in Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo.

QC-RTC Branch 95 presiding judge Henri Jean Paul Inting stopped ABS-CBN from presenting additional witnesses, saying that the court is now ready resolve the case based on the testimony of ABS-CBN’s lone witness it presented during past hearings as well as the pleadings submitted in court by both GMA and ABS-CBN.

Inting rejected ABS-CBN’s plan to present new witnesses and said, “It’s (the case) getting out of hand.”

ABS-CBN legal counsel Regis Puno said in a TV news interview that they should be allowed to present new witnesses to the case. “The principal arguments here are legal in nature, particularly whether you can restrain legitimate news reporting,” Puno said.

GMA Network legal counsel Gener Asuncion, however, said that the issue should be resolved in court and not through trial by publicity. “What is before the court is only a motion for a TRO. It is a motion to stop them (ABS-CBN) from airing because the case is already in court. The court is hearing or will hear the parties and their witnesses so there should be no airing for them (ABS-CBN) anymore on TV,” Asuncion said.

GMA Network also submitted a second motion asking the court to immediately resolve the motion for the TRO and preliminary injunction.

Attached in its new motion are transcripts of ABS-CBN shows wherein it continues to report in its various TV programs the issue on the alleged manipulation of TV ratings despite the fact that the case for damages filed by GMA Network against ABS-CBN is already in court.

GMA Network Vice President for Legal Dick B. Perez said that press freedom is not the issue. “ABS-CBN is a party litigant in this case and therefore it should not be allowed to use its media facilities for its own end like bringing its case before the public. You can’t present your witnesses on TV. It’s unfair… They should be subject to the same rules applicable to all parties litigants,” Perez said.

The QC-RTC gave both GMA and ABS-CBN until February 11 to submit their memoranda, after which the court will decide on the request for TRO.