Vitug launches book in Cebu

 CEBU, Philippines - Veteran journalist Marites Vitug has launched her newest book in Cebu last Wednesday.

Vitug’s latest book, Hour before Dawn, was officially launched in Cebu at the University of San Carlos College of Law and Business Building.

Vitug said the book will show the darkest hour of the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines during the administration of ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona.

She described it as a “work of a narrative non-fiction. It is a true story, nothing is fabricated…the content tells the highly midnight appointees and the unprecedented flip-flopped of three cases involving the issue of the Philippine Airlines, the Cityhood and the Dinagat Province.”

The book also deals with the three alleged plagiarize decisions of Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo that caught the attention of the International Legal Committee and his eventual exoneration by the high tribunal. The SC instead blamed by Microsoft for it.

According to Vitug, her book also dwells on the issue of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez as well as the clash between the executive and the judiciary branches of government.

USC College of Law dean Joan Largo welcomed the book launching saying that it would have an impact to their students.

“Law students study the government structure and thus have great interest in the workings of the Supreme Court. The book gives us a glimpse of what the author considers to be one of the darkest hours of the court,” she said.

As a veteran journalist, Vitug has advised the members of the press to adhere to the tenets of journalism. She said accuracy and fairness should be observed at all times for a journalist to be credible.

She said that it is important that journalists should not be biased in reporting events.

“Being a journalist our commitment are public interest,” she said.  (FREEMAN)