(CMFR/IFEX) – A broadcasting company in Lucena City, Quezon, has accused the city’s mayor of “harassment and political vendetta” in connection with the city government’s closure of the company’s radio and television stations on 4 October 2002. Joselito Ojeda, president of Katigbak Enterprises and owner of ConAmor Broadcasting Systems (CBS), which operates the closed stations, […]
(CMFR/IFEX) – A broadcasting company in Lucena City, Quezon, has accused the city’s mayor of “harassment and political vendetta” in connection with the city government’s closure of the company’s radio and television stations on 4 October 2002.
Joselito Ojeda, president of Katigbak Enterprises and owner of ConAmor Broadcasting Systems (CBS), which operates the closed stations, accused Mayor Ramon Talaga Jr. and members of the closure enforcement team of abuse of authority before the Sandiganbayan (equivalent to an appeals court), “Today” and the “Philippine Daily Inquirer” newspapers reported.
The stations that were reportedly closed include the radio stations DWTI-AM and DWKI-FM, and television station Channel 8, said to be the first local television station in the region. CBS owner Ojeda was a former mayor of Mulanay, also in the Quezon province.
The “Manila Times” quoted CBS legal counsel Frumencio Pulgar as saying that several city officials padlocked the CBS offices and that accompanying policemen even threatened to drag out the remaining employees from the building if they resisted the closure.
However, CBS reportedly defied the closure and continued operating after the enforcing agencies left the company premises, “in utter disregard of the authority of the city government,” assistant city lawyer Marvin Tan was quoted saying in the “Philippine Daily Inquirer”.
A 72-hour temporary restraining order against the broadcasting company was issued on 5 November by the local regional trial court. It is still unclear whether the court extended the order against the company’s resumption of operations.
According to newspaper reports, the city government ordered CBS’s closure because of the company’s alleged violations of the National Building Code, failure to obtain a Land Tax Clearance based on City Ordinance 209 series of 1977, a Fire Safety Clearance, and a Zoning Clearance, as well as for nonpayment of regulatory fees.
The “Philippine Daily Inquirer” quoted Talaga as denying that the closure “is a case of political harassment (or) assault on press freedom.” In the succeeding days after the failed closure by the government, the company “cried political harassment and assault of press freedom as reasons for its defiance,” Talaga stated.
According to the “Philippine Daily Inquirer”, Talaga and Ojeda “used to be the best of political allies.” The company even played a major role in helping Talaga win a recall election last year.
