NPC warns vs media 'harassment' over reports on IBC 13-RII Builders deal

The National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) has cautioned the camp of RII Builders Inc-Primestate Ventures against threatening to sue for libel case against journalists who reported on alleged controversy surrounding the firm's joint deal with state-owned Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp (IBC-13).

 

NPC president Jose Joel Egco said NPC officials have earlier been informed that lawyers of businessman Reghis Romero, owner of RII Builders, have sent warnings to media outlets that either published or aired stories against him or his company, especially that on the joint deal that aims to develop an IBC-13 property in Quezon City.

 

“While Mr. Romero has every right to sue, his alleged threat to do so is a form of harassment and intimidation that we cannot countenance," said Egco in a statement sent to justice reporters on Thursday.

 

“May we also remind Mr. Romero that we continue to live in a democracy that upholds freedom of the press and the right to air all sides in any controversy and not those that only favor the side of the rich, the powerful and the influential,” said Egco, who is also assignments editor and chief of reporters at the Manila Times..

 

Egco, meanwhile, reminded the media to be professional and always abide by the Journalist's Code of Ethics in exercising the profession.

 

The NPC issued the statement following a call from the Coalition of Filipino Consumers last Monday for the media group to look into supposed threats issued against several journalists reporting on the IBC13-RII Builders deal.

 

Earlier, anti-corruption group Philippine Crusader for Justice (PCJ) said it would be filing a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to nullify the JVA between IBC-13 and RII Builders Inc-Primestate Ventures, which the group said had been found by the Office of the Ombudsman to be "injurious" to the government. 

 

Sought for comment, R-II Builders corporate secretary Mark Boado said via Twitter that the alleged harassment is "just a dirty tactic from a desperate group... It has been cleared long time ago. Misinformed lang yung advocate kuno."

 

Boado also said, "maybe the Senate should investigate the various paid bogus organizations giving inaccurate info to the public." 

 

Romero’s camp had already claimed that they have documents supposedly from the COA as well, and the Office of the Ombudsman clearing RII Builders from liabilities in the said joint agreement with IBC 13. 

 

IBC-13 and RII-Primestate signed the agreement on March 24, 2010 to develop 36,401 of the 41,401 square meters of IBC-13 property in Broadcast City, Capitol Hills, Diliman, Quezon City. 

 

The plan involves the construction of a residential complex. The remaining 5,000 square meters will house two buildings for IBC-13. The PCJ said under the joint venture deal, RII Builders originally will pay IBC-13 P728 million.  — ELR, GMA News