‘Don’t release confidential orders’

A CEBU City judge reminded his staff against the release of “confidential” documents
to the media.

Judge Raphael Yrastorza of the Regional Trial Court issued a memorandum informing his staff that confidential documents should not be released to the media until both parties have received it.

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Yrastorza’s order came after the release of his one-page order for the issuance of an arrest warrant against broadcast journalist Leo Lastimosa for the libel charge Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia filed against him in 2007.

“What happened with the case of People vs. Leo Lastimosa should not be repeated,” Yrastorza said in his memo.

“The presiding judge had already told you all that any record being confidential cannot be released until the parties have been furnished copies of any order, decision and judgment and only after being cleared by the presiding judge himself,” he said.

The memo, addressed to all his staff, was posted on the door of Yrastorza’s sala early this week.

“Nevertheless, the action of this court, specifically the issuance of warrant of arrest being already known to media even before the said order and warrant of arrest was received by the parties shall be answered by responsible persons (the acting clerk of court Francisco Baguio and clerk-in-charge Mary Evangeline Larido),” Yrastorza said in his memo.

Yrastorza reprimanded his staff for releasing his order to the media regarding the issuance of the warrant against Lastimosa.

Yrastorza also got mad with members of the media for “prematurely” publishing news about issuing a warrant of arrest against Lastimosa.
Media ban

He also told members of the media to follow court processes to avoid jeopardizing those involved in the cases.

Yrastorza also warned that if the media fail to heed his warnings, he will issue an order banning journalists from entering or covering his sala.

Last Aug. 27, Lastimosa posted a P10,000 bail after Yrastorza issued a warrant for his arrest.

Last Aug. 12, upon the recommendation of the Department of Justice, the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office lodged a libel case in court against Lastimosa relative to the publication of his column in The Freeman entitled “Si Doling Kawatan” on June 29, 2007.

Garcia believed the piece was about her and that Doling was merely a play on her first name.

The column talked about a fish vendor who suddenly got rich, using unexplained sources of wealth. It did not name Garcia.

Lastimosa described Doling in his column as “unreasonable, ill-tempered and foul-mouthed.”