Sections Literature and Fourth Estate Philippine News Official Denies Abridging Press Freedom in Firing Editor
| Philippine News Official Denies Abridging Press Freedom in Firing Editor |
SAN DIEGO - The unceremonious dismissal of the editor of the oldest Filipino newspaper in America was part of a need for leadership change in the organization and not a curtailment of press freedom, a family member of the controlling owners said.
Claims to the contrary are "patently frivolous and untrue," explained John Espiritu who said he is a member of the board of Philippine News, the 46-year-old newspaper founded in San Francisco in 1961 by journalist-turned-political lobbyist Alex Esclamado.
The paper sacked Lito Gutierrez, its editor for the last five years, on Saturday (June 22) over what he said was an attempt by the paper's management to censor a story about a Filipino businessman who is claimed to be one of its biggest advertisers.
Gutierrez said he had refused to set aside the story involving San Francisco businessman Carlos Araneta even when ordered to do so, thus triggering his expulsion. He said it wasn't the first time management had instructed him to kill a story involving big advertisers.
Araneta had been ordered to pay $25 million to his partners who had accused him of depleting the assets of their partnership in an unnamed bank, according to Gutierrez.
Araneta also happened to head LBC, the cargo and remittance company, which Gutierrez claimed, is a major advertiser of Philippine News. LBC is not involved in the Araneta case.
Gutierrez's accusations were belied by Espiritu in an internet reply posted by media blogger and community activist Bobby Reyes in his Mabuhay Radio website at( www.mabuhayradio.com).
"With respect to the charges that Mr. Gutierrez was terminated for editorial issues, I can say that they are patently frivolous and untrue," Espiritu explained. "There was never a suppression of any story as he claims," he added.
Efforts by this writer to get the official comments of Espiritu's family directly involved in the daily running of the paper had been fruitless. None of the Espiritus even acknowledged the request as early as when the story broke out during the weekend.
Gutierrez's explanation for his removal is contradicted by Long Beach-based writer Malou Mariano, who is apparently a friend of the Espiritus.
"It is also my understanding that LBC has not been an active advertiser for the past two to four years, a far cry from being 'a major advertiser' as claimed by the terminated editor of Philippine News," she said in her internet posting.
"What pressure from advertiser for Francis Espiritu of PN to supposedly 'kill the story' on the Aranetas are they talking about?," Mariano asked.
Though Gutierrez tries to picture himself as an impartial editor, Reyes, the arch-nemesis of Esclamado, pointed to a different person who appeared beholden to his friends and patrons, notably Esclamado himself and the organization he founded after retirement, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA).
During his tenure, Gutierrez refused to publish letters of protests denouncing the one-sided articles of columnists Lourdes Ongkeko and Rodel Rodis and stories about the monetary scandals in the paper-huge NaFFAA, according to Reyes.
The paper's staunch refusal to publish articles critical of its policies and practices only proved, Reyes stressed, that the Philippine News "never followed the tenets of press freedom".
"And now, Mr. Gutierrez cries foul because he refused to spike a story? He has been doing it all the years he was working for the PN. What happened to Mr. Gutierrez is just the dramatization of 'poetic justice', " Reyes stated.
Espiritu, on the other hand, said: "The cornerstone of the paper is freedom of the press. The newspaper strives every week, for the last 46 years to report objectively, a fair and unbiased side to every story. This did not change overnight." (Comments may be sent to the author at )
Good reporting. But what do you think? Is it curtailment of press freedom, or is it just a case of an employee disobeying the wishes of his employer? Or, is it one of those "hey bro, ha, ha, ha" that we, Fil-Ams, love so much to hear?
JJ
My sympathy goes to Mr. Gutierrez. With his journalistic calibre, another bigger, better job and position is not far behind.
V.M. CRISOLOGO
Lito, in my opinion, has been the best editor of the Philippine News, and it's a pity he has become a sacrificial lamb because he chose to uphold the high principles of his profession. We need more journalists with the kind of ethics and courage that he has. He is quite talented and he will have no problem landing a plum job.
REMIGIO G. LACSAMANA
MR. GUTIERREZ RESURRECTED THE PHILIPPINE NEWS FIVE YEARS AGO FROM A MESS TO THE BEST NATIONALLY CIRCULATED FILIPINO-AMERICAN PAPER IN THE COUNTRY TODAY. I DON'T FIND IT JUST THAT HE IS NOW BEING AXED FOR DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. YES, I FIND HIS FIRING TO BE AN EGREGIOUS USURPATION OF PRESS FREEDOM. FOLKS, WE LIVE IN AMERICA, NOT THE PHILIPPINES WHERE A LOT OF JOURNALISTS ARE LIKE "TUTAS."
THE PHILPPINE NEWS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT LITO. SHAME!
Lillian Maria Guerrero
I have no reason not to believe Mr. Gutierrez, having followed his able stewardship of the Philippine News for the past five years. All of us can see, unhappily, vultures gathering overhead, pouncing on him because he told the truth. I can only think that those who want to discredit Mr. Gutierrez cannot stand the idea he would not sacrifice his principles, as he has done throughout his journalistic career.
I read that letter the PN president, Francis Espiritu, wrote in the current issue, and I wish he would have explained better the reasons for the firing. As the publisher, he of course has that prerogative to "change leadership" in the paper. After rereading Espiritu's piece, I remain unconviced that this abrupt firing was motivated by other than what Mr. Gutierrez had told us.
I think there is a consensus Mr. Gutierrez has been the best editor of the Philippine News. Like the founder, Alex Esclamado, he has been honest, courageous, and faithful to the highest principles of his profession.
He will be missed by all of us.
BERT BELTRAN
There are always repercussions when a major move like this
happens, as we have witnessed with the LA Times. Unless the paper's owner can hire a replacement with the integrity and talents of Mr. Gutierrez, I can only see the Philippine News languishing from now on. Mr. Gutierrez, after all, assembled that excellent cast of reporters, critics and columnists, and loyalty to the chief should not be dismissed. But we will just have to see.
I have seen, in the course of my lifetime, editors coming and going. But a good editor like Mr. Gutierrez is hard to replace,
and owners with no background in journalism discover that lesson too late, to their everlastinhg regrets.
Raymundo Marquez
Mr. Gutierrez, as the editor-in-chief, has the final authority to determine what to print in the paper. I'm certain he receives weekly a large volume of letters and articles, from which he needs to choose on what to publish. Just from my experience, I have sent him comments frequently criticizing his stands on various issues, yet he prints them more often that he rejects them. Lack of space many times is one reason an editor cannot accommodate everything he receives. Accuracy is another factor, considering that publishing materials with no good documentation brings with it the possibility of legal action against the paper.
Bobby Reyes, if he had any editorial experience at all, college or professional, surely can appreciate that.
As for Malou Mariano, why should we believe her when she is not involved at all in editing the paper? Is she privy to the day-to-day business of the paper when she is in Long Beach?
Look, management would not dismiss an editor who is doing an excellent job. There are indeed occasions when a change of leadership may be needed, but I find the explanation by Francis Espiritu to wield the knife on his editor lame and devoid of merit. In fact, those "complex reasons" he invoked sound, in his words, "patently untrue and frivolous."
I may sound bitter, since I don't personally know Mr. Gutierrez. But I think he has been a victim of editorial coercion. It's llke losing a good friend. I feel confident he will do as well, if not better, in his next venture.
L. GONZALES
I have no doubt the Philippine News owners have that prerogative to hire and fire personnel. After all, they pay their salaries. But this firing is more than that, involving as it does, if we have to believe Mr. Gutierrez, unusual intrusion into the freedom of an editor. And I have no reason to believe that
he would be lying.
I see there are people defending the owners, but how much credibility can we place in their statements? Their criticisms of Mr. Gutierrez sound so pusillanimous they ought to be dismissed.
A newspaper with the tradition of the Philippine News has its reputation now blemished. The next editor, whoever he or she may be, should include in the contract a provsion that the editorial responsibilities should be unfettered and free of any
interference, even from the owners. That's the only way to restore its credibility.
This is indeed a sad day for freedom of the press.
PURITA GUINTO
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