Thursday, July 19, 2007 Seares: Who is Doling? By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
NEWSPAPER columnist and broadcaster Leo Lastimosa is charged with criminal libel by Gov. Gwen Garcia before the Cebu City prosecutor's office. It has to do with a woman named Doling.
Leo wrote about Doling in his "Freeman" column of June 29 titled "Si Doling kawatan." Leo portrays Doling as a fishmonger who rises to wealth and power by thievery, not the lotto, which she claims she won.
As barangay captain, Doling is nasty and mean. She tongue-lashes anyone who crosses with her, and brings to court, or banishes to a swine farm, those who question her affluence. She admits being a thief but dares the public, "Can you do anything about it?"
It's an allegory, a story in which things, people, and events have a hidden or symbolic meaning. And there are enough in it for concealed messages to lurk: dubious victory, suspicion of graft, and short temper with critics and hired help.
Identification
Lawyers will argue over whether Leo committed libel. But first, is the victim of the libel identified? No identification, no case.
Gov. Gwen thinks Doling is her. In her complaint, she said Doling is a "play" of her name Gwendolyn. Two Capitol aides, in affidavits, say they think Doling is Gwen.
Leo, in a July 17 story in this paper, obliquely denied he referred to Gwen. Instead, he named Imelda (Marcos) twice.
Fifteen students yesterday read Leo's column in a Media Issues class at UP and were asked if they could identify Doling as Gwen. Nine said yes and five said no and they explained why.
Identification is crucial to resolve the issue of libel and, along with it, the journalist's accountability.
