MANILA, Philippines — Head of ABS-CBN News Division Regina Reyes as well as former Kapamilya broadcasters Kata Inocencio and Jay Sonza tackled the alleged biased reporting during the network's franchise hearing at the House of Representatives today.
Reyes said that the network's shutdown deprived more than 69 million Filipinos of the kind of information, analysis and public service provided by ABS-CBN News.
"Since our return to air in 1986, we have endeavored to perform our duty as a news organization. As professional journalists, we strive to keep biases in check, and to report newsworthy events and issues in an accurate fair, and balanced manner," Reyes said.
Reyes also said that the Kapamilya network ensures that their journalists adhere to their own code of ethics. She, however, admitted that they are not perfect.
"At the News Division level, we have a standards and practices unit that ensures that our journalists adhere to our own code of ethics," she said.
"Pero tulad ng ibang bahagi ng aming kumpanya, hindi kami perpekto, wala pong news organization na perpekto. Gayunpaman, agad din po kaming umaaksyon para itama ang mga mali," she added.
"Our first loyalty is to citizens. Our primary obligation is to the truth."
For Kata, in her 15 years with the network, she claimed that she never received instructions to favor anyone.
"In the 15 years that I have served ABS-CBN in various capacities, we have never been instructed to play favorites, nor slant stories in favor of anyone," Kata said.
She appealed to Congress to give the network a franchise so the network will serve again in all sectors of society.
"It is in our earnest appeal to this honorable House, that you grant ABS-CBN its franchise so that all sectors of the society will be served," said Kata, who clarified that she left ABS-CBN not because she has bad blood with the network, but because she moved to CBN Asia as a member of the Christian faith.
Meanwhile, Sonza, who left the broadcast industry in 2010, talked about instances of ABS-CBN's supposed biased reporting.
According to him, many ABS-CBN workers, from broadcasters to cameramen, were obliged to work round-the-clock without proper compensation.
He also denied calling Rep. Micaela Violago a "bayaran" in any of his social media posts.
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