Manila
Campus Paper Padlocked
It
is easy to picture out the dark days of martial law after hearing the case
of Ang Pamantasan, the official student publication of Pamantasan ng
Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM or University of the City of Manila): On June 7,
university officials ransacked the office of the student paper, replaced
its doorknobs and turned over the key to the University Security Group.
Its editors and staff were either dismissed from PLM or suspended.
BY
RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
It
is easy to picture out the dark days of martial law after hearing the case
of Ang Pamantasan, the official student publication of Pamantasan
ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM or University of the City of Manila): On June
7, university officials ransacked the office of the student paper, replaced
its doorknobs and turned over the key to the University Security Group.
Its editors and staff were either dismissed from PLM or suspended.
Four
days later, a notice of dismissal and suspension was served to Ang
Pamantasan’s editors and staff.
Dismissed were Editor in Chief Ma. Cecilia Villarosa and News
Editor Celeste Boniquit. Even the newly-graduated associate editor was not
spared. The mass communications degree of Rose Belen Manaog was revoked.
Eleven others were suspended.
A
public school under the city government, PLM is located at Intramuros or
the “Walled City” in Manila.
Their
only “fault”
PLM
administration said the student journalists violated the rules of
discipline stated in the student handbook.
The campus journalists, as the PLM administration puts it, used
vulgar language and committed acts that are disrespectful, vulgar, and
indecent. The decision was
signed by Bernadette Sacop, dean of the Office of Student Affairs, and Dr.
Benjamin Tayabas, university president.
However,
in a statement, Ang Pamantasan said the only “fault” they could
think of is the article on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SAL)
of PLM’s top officials published in the March 2004 issue of their news
magazine.
In
his 2000 SAL, Tayabas has a net worth of P530, 000, declared assets worth
P650,220. His personal and
other properties amount to P895,000.
His liabilities amount to P530,000.
Ang
Pamantasan editors maintained that the article was done in the
interest of transparency, with no allusion whatsoever to a probable
malversation of public funds.
The
statement further states, “The PLM administration was nevertheless
offended. We are then compelled to think that Dr. Tayabas and the PLM
administration have some secrets that they want to be left uncovered.”
The
PLM has a P386-million budget this year.
“Barbaric”
In
an interview with Bulatlat.com, Julie Ann Soriano, managing editor
of Ang Pamantasan, said Tayabas instructed members of a fraternity
in PLM to beat up Boniquit, their news editor. “Ganoon ka-barbaric
ang moves ni Tayabas.” (That’s how barbaric Tayabas’ moves are.)
Soriano
said it was blackmail. She said Tayabas knew some members of the said
fraternity have academic deficiencies.
Not
the first
This
is not the first time that the student paper was padlocked. During Tayabas’
first term as president (1994-1996), he declared that the collection of
publication fee was non-mandatory. The student paper inevitably ceased its
operations.
Financial
strangulation
This
enrolment, the payment of publication fee was not included in the
registration process. Ang Pamantasan editors and staff themselves
manned the collection.
However,
they failed to collect payment from freshmen and late enrollees since they
were denied entry to the campus. Soriano said only 30 percent were able to
pay the publication fee.
Campus
Journalism Act
In
an interview with Bulatlat.com, Jose Cosido, national president of
the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), said that the Campus
Journalism Act of 1991 or RA 7079 has legitimized financial strangulation
of student papers. He said the law made the collection of publication fee
non-mandatory.
Cosido
further stated, “While many school authorities wield this flawed law to
attack press freedom on campus, they also violate some of its
provisions.” Cosido said the law prohibits the suspension/expulsion of
student journalists on the basis of what they have written.
The
bait
The
PLM administration however said it did not close down Ang Pamantasan.
They said they would hand over the key of the publication
office to the editors and staff upon the submission of names of two
incumbent editors for the selection board.
Soriano
said they refused to take the bait. “Kapag sila ang nagpa-exam sa
bagong editorial board, hawak nila ang bola. Ilalagay nila ang mga tao
nila.” (If they would be the ones to administer the editorial exams,
they would choose their people)
Bogus
student paper
Soriano
also revealed the PLM administration’s plan of putting up a “bogus”
student paper to replace Ang Pamantasan.
Soriano
said they learned that the administration held secretly a journalism exam
for aspiring PLM students last April.
The examinees were reportedly asked to write an essay about
developmental journalism. Soriano
said the administration wants to be sure they get the most submissive
writers, not the critical ones.
Terror
In
an interview, Villarosa said Tayabas has created an atmosphere of terror
in the academic community. She
revealed that members of the University Security Group (USG) have been
hounding them and their supporters.
“Mag-umpukan
lang ang sampung estudyante, idi-disperse na nila” (When ten
students group together, they are quickly dispersed), said Soriano.
The
USG also scrutinizes the bags of the students and confiscates any
statement given by Ang Pamantasan.
Villarosa
related that a dispersal team of the Western Police District, complete
with a fire truck, went to their school.
She said the administration thought they would hold a protest
action.
Case
vs Tayabas
Last
week, Ang Pamantasan editors filed a civil case against Tayabas
with the city prosecutor’s office for grave abuse of discretion.
They
have also called on Mayor Lito Atienza to remove Tayabas from PLM. Bulatlat.com
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