Through Marcos years and libel suits, women write on

(Updated 8:30 a.m., March 4) - The audience listened with rapt attention as Ma. Ceres P. Doyo recounted how she was interrogated for her article on the death of Macli-ling Dulag, a Kalinga chieftain who led his tribe in opposing the construction of the Chico Dam.

 

"To get to Bugnay village, we scaled hills and braved crossing the raging river, with the help of Kalinga braves in G-strings. In the home of Macli-ing, I saw the blood on the wall and ran my fingers on it," she said.

 

I looked around the auditorium, thinking that while most of the students were probably required to attend, a few of them just might be having a life-changing moment.

 

"I don't know what possessed me but I just sat down and wrote. I sent the story and trembled. A dam inside me had burst. That was my first feature article and I got the editor and myself in trouble," said Doyo, who received the summons dated July 5, 1980, through Panorama editor Letty Magsanoc, now editor-in-chief of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Those were the martial law years and strongman Ferdinand Marcos was in power.

 

When Pope John Paul II came to visit in 1981, he awarded her the Catholic Mass Media Awards trophy for the story. "It was never the same after that. The writing continued. 

 

Magsanoc would call it "suicide journalism," said Doyo, who spoke about the years of writing dangerously at the 18th Paz Marquez-Benitez Memorial Lecture on February 21 held at Ateneo de Manila University.

 

Other writers had similar stories, and these were gathered in 1984 and 1985 in two volumes of "The Philippine Press Under Siege" published by the Committee to Protect Writers of the National Press Club.

 

“Together, (these stories) show the kind of 'dangerous writing' that has brought about the forced resignation, firing, blacklisting, arrest or detention of journalists, the padlocking or sequestering of a newspaper's printing plant and equipment, and the filing of multi-million peso libel suits or subversive charges against writers, editors and publishers," Doyo quoted the editor.

 

My experiences paled in comparison, and although I had no desire to be slapped with a libel suit or interrogated by the military, I felt a sort of envy as I listened to the women's stories. A quote from Winston Churchill came to mind: "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."

 

During the open forum, a student said she was inspired, and I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else felt the same. These were people who stood up for something, almost every day of their lives.

 

Libel, libel

 

As Maritess Vitug put it, "For journalists, there’s always a first time for libel suits."

"This is usually a memorable event—perhaps like a first kiss or a first date," she said, making the audience laugh. Vitug's first time was in the late 80s, for an article about current senatorial candidate Margarita "Tingting" Cojuangco's foray into Mindanao politics and business.

 

"What stung her about the article was a reference to her as the 'barter trade queen'—this phrase was in quotes and I picked it up from sources in Mindanao," she said. Cojuangco wanted a hold-departure order to stop Vitug from leaving the country.  

 

"At that time I was then set to leave for my 10-month post-graduate scholarship in London... the Justices allowed me to leave the country. It was a sweet victory," said Vitug.

 

Vitug shared the lessons she took to heart since then: be very careful about quotes, always verify information with trusted sources, and never to take reporting for granted. "This way, you lessen the chances for frivolous lawsuits," she said.

 

Still, she had another libel suit filed against her in the early 90s. This time, logging magnate Pepito Alvarez sued her for P20-million, the most expensive libel suit ever filed at the time.

The case was eventually dismissed, but Vitug later dealt with libel suits that were filed against Newsbreak. "Among those who sued us were Juan Ponce Enrile, Chavit Singson, and Robert Barbers," she said, adding that only Singson's case remains today.

 

Just last year, Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. dropped two libel cases he filed against her. He had claimed he was maligned in Vitug's book, “Shadow of Doubt,” which brought to light the inner workings of the high court.

 

"After reading Justice Velasco’s affidavits, I felt like I was the worst journalist in this part of the world. I’m glad I still have my self-esteem. It can be unnerving and disorienting. But that comes with the territory," she said.

When faced with libel suits, you can defend yourself by writing the facts and the truth, Vitug said. "I believe the stories will speak for themselves, and if they are sensitive it's always good to consult with a lawyer to go over the manuscripts before publication," she said.

 

On the other hand, she noted that despite being careful, people will still get angry. As Jo-Ann Maglipon experienced, this is true, too, in the entertainment beat.

 

Years after being sued by a military general during Marcos' time, Maglipon was sued by actress Claudine Barretto, for her stories which revealed the grief the actress had caused Rico Yan before his death.

 

"I realized then that whatever your beat, you are going to get it. If you want to be a journalist, be prepared to get it. If you keep writing and editing and making commentaries, you will produce a ton of work, and you are bound to irritate someone," said Maglipon, who found that being sued by the actress was stranger than being sued by the general. "Go up a big star, and know public displeasure," she said.

 

Journalists are not in the business of being popular, Maglipon stressed. No matter what the beat, journalists must treat their subjects with respect.

 

This is actually what will get you into trouble, because respecting the beat means showing both the pretty and the ugly. "You will want to tell it as it is and to make sense of a world at once real and unreal," she said. And what happens when you are ostracized?

 

For these journalists, the answer is simple. "Just plod on... you will report on your beat as best as you know how, as fair as you know how," Maglipon said.

 

As Vitug said, even if people get angry, she would still prefer this kind of controversy to opaque reporting. " After all, journalism is not about making nice to people. It’s not about seeking to be on the good side of the powerful," she said. 

 

Doyo, Maglipon and Vitug are among 18 Filipina journalists featured in the 18th Paz Marquez-Benitez Memorial Lecture-Exhibit entitled “Women Writers in Media Now.” The exhibit runs from Feb. 21 to April 30 at the Ateneo Library of Women’s Writings Room (Ground Level, Rizal Library Special Collections Building). —KG, GMA News