Report serving as basis for allegation vs. Sereno based on unnamed, ‘well-placed’ sources

The newspaper report from which lawyer Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon based one of his allegations against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was based on unnamed but "well-placed" sources.

At the resumption of the House Committee on Justice hearing on Monday, journalist Jomar Canlas denied that it was from Associate Justice Teresita de Castro that he received information on the allegation that Sereno had tampered the temporary restraining order in 2013.

Canlas said he never revealed to Gadon the source on his The Manila Times article "Justice blasts Sereno over TRO mess" was De Castro.

"I hereby deny that I have intimated to Atty. Gadon that the source of facts in my article was Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-de Castro. I have never revealed to anyone my source or sources, who suffice it to say, are reliable and well-placed sources," he said.

"I also hereby categorically deny that Associate Justice De Castro was my source in the news article 'Justice blasts Sereno over TRO mess,'" he added.

Gadon had claimed that De Castro confirmed to Canlas that she contested the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by Sereno on behalf of the SC on May 29, 2013, accusing the chief magistrate of omitting her recommendation to stop the disqualification of the Senior Citizens party-list only, and not the party-list proclamation itself.

Sereno’s TRO was not ratified by her colleagues during the SC's special session on June 5, 2013 as the justices decided to issue a status quo ante order on the disqualification of Senior Citizens.

In his story, Canlas stated he obtained a copy of Sereno's letter to De Castro where the latter admitted that she purposely changed the associate justice's recommendation.

Deputy Speaker Gwen Garcia has asked to subpoena the said letter.

During his interpellation, Agusan del Norte Representative Lawrence Fortun asked Canlas if he could name his sources.

Canlas, however, said he could not do so. "I’m sorry, I cannot disclose my sources under RA 53 as amended by RA 1477."

Under RA 1477, a journalist cannot be compelled to "reveal the source of any news-report or information... unless the court or a House or committee of Congress finds that such revelation is demanded by the security of the State.”

Nevertheless, Canlas insisted that he stands by his story.

"The reporter itself who wrote this report stands by the veracity of the report. Meaning you also see to it by counterchecking the facts that it adheres to the truth?" Garcia asked Canlas.

"Yes I stand by my story," he replied.

Misamis Occidental Representative Henry Oaminal, meanwhile, asked Canlas whether his sources are accurate.

"My source is very accurate, I don’t rely on only one source. I dig deeper by getting information from other sources," he added.

AKO Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin, on the other hand, asked Canlas if he could reveal his sources in an executive session, to which Canlas replied in the negative.

The House justice panel is deliberating to find probable cause on the impeachment complaint against Sereno.  — RSJ, GMA News