Cebu celebrates its 26th Press Freedom Week

It is the 26th celebration of Cebu’s Press Freedom Week, which kicked off with a holy mass officiated by Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo of the Cebu Archdiocese who challenged the Cebu media in his homily to use the power of truth to help people see beyond the lies manifested by those in authority. Msgr. Dennis also asked the media to continue praying for the Oratio Imperata that the Cebu Archdiocese asked the Cebuano Catholic faithful to pray because of the numerous unexplained killings happening in the entire province of Cebu.

This is the week where the Cebu media meet at the Cebu Press Center for many conferences or symposiums on topics related to media. The other day was a symposium titled, “Social Media-Friend or Foe? How to Combat Discontent in this Digital Age” which was held at the University of San Carlos Gym and organized by the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas-Cebu Chapter and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

It’s already 26 years since the Cebu media celebrated its Press Freedom Week and unfortunately, our colleagues in the national capital region have not followed suit. It is that time of year when Cebuano journalists regardless of newspaper, radio or TV affiliations would gather together and celebrate Press Freedom, a freedom Cebuanos lost when Martial Law was declared in 1972. How time has flown indeed, but Martial Law has been replaced by many other issues, including fake news especially in the social media networks. This is why Cebuanos continue to celebrate our 26th year holding on to Cebu’s Press Freedom celebration.

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It was only a couple of Fridays ago during the Mandaue City Charter Day celebration when President Rodrigo Duterte attacked Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña when he said in Cebuano, “Hoy Tomas! Dili na ni panahon sa Katsila, ha? Kanang style nimo nga mura ka’g si kinsa, taas kaayo ka manulti. Ingon pa ka nga ako protector ng shabu. Ingnan tika magkita ta, anak ka ng p*ta ayaw pagtuong kinsa (ka). Dili gani ta magkasinabot sa atong istorya tamparuson taka sa daghang tawo. Ayaw ko binuangi ana kay dili ko Cebuano nga imong daug-daugon.”

It was something totally unexpected. It was then that Pres. Duterte’s speech became viral and it was praised by people who have been disappointed by how Osmeña has run Cebu City since he won the election in 2016. It goes without saying that the people who still support Mayor Osmeña took what the president said about the mayor as an insult to them.

Frankly speaking, I thought that the attack by Pres. Duterte on Mayor Osmeña was a sort of one shot deal. Apparently it wasn’t so. When President  Duterte was in Laoag, Ilocos Norte over the weekend, he once more slammed Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, this time for taking custody of three men the police in the city arrested last month. Pres. Digong said, “This guy must be crazy. Pupunta doon sa prisohan tapos ipa-release yung mga nahuli. Those arrested by the police, he demanded the release.”

Indeed, it was only last Aug. 24 when Mayor Tomas Osmeña when to the Parian Police Station in downtown Cebu City and ordered the three men that the police arrested for refilling butane canisters with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to be released to the Mayor’s custody. Osmeña told the police that he would take custody of the three suspects because they were arrested on Friday and since it was a holiday on Monday he was doing these poor folks a favor.

Then Cebuano pundits learned that the three men arrested by the Parian Police apparently were employees of a man whom these pundits said was a partner of the son of Mayor Osmeña. To date, Mayor Osmeña has not called his daily presscon nor has he answered these allegations. Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella considers it wrong for Mayor Tomas Osmeña to take custody of the three men arrested for refilling butane canisters. I fully agree with the Vice Mayor who is a lawyer… that anything that has something to do with the law… no City Mayor should get himself involved in this area because the Mayor is not an official of the Justice Department.

Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma already filed a case of Obstruction of Justice and abuse of authority against Mayor Osmeña, the first time a police officer filed such a case against Mayor Osmeña. Frankly speaking, we expect this issue to haunt Mayor Osmeña until the Mid-Term elections of 2019, which could also mean the Mayor’s suspension.

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