Frasco says: Accusations vs media expected

CEBU, Philippines - Suspended Governor Gwen Garcia’s legal counsel and daughter, Atty. Christina Garcia-Frasco, said Acting Governor Agnes Magpale’s accusation of Capitol beat reporters allegedly receiving salary from Garcia’s administration does not surprise her at all.

“It seems to me that when tri-media opinion makers spread lies about Governor Garcia, Vice Governor Magpale praises them for being independent. But when Capitol beat reporters tell the truth about Magpale, she accuses them of being paid. Well her statements do not surprise me at all,” Frasco said.

“It is the same person who forcibly shut down two media outlets, unilaterally that they have no freedom of speech,” Frasco added.

Sugbo News and Sugbo TV are province-owned stations which were shut down about a month ago upon orders of the acting governor.

Vice Gubernatorial candidate Glenn Soco earlier posted his sentiments on Twitter and said, “Acting governor’s statements regarding Capitol beat media are sweeping, unfair and unsubstantiated”.

Soco said that Magpale, “in the true essence of transparency and fairness,” should release the list of names of reporters who are allegedly included in the payroll of the Capitol if there is any, or otherwise substantiate her statements.

Soco is running against Magpale in the incoming May 2013 elections.

“Yung ibinibintang nila sa inyo na kayo’y on the take from the Capitol is one of the worst lies and insults they could have hurled at Cebu media, not just to the Capitol reporters, but all Cebu media,” Garcia earlier said.— (FREEMAN)