Tuesday, August 05, 2008 PB lashes out at reporter for ignoring invitations
THE Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday lashed out at newspaper reporter Rene Borromeo for ignoring its invitation to appear in its regular session so the body could correct the latter’s article that Capitol hired an incompetent staff.
PB Member Juan Bolo wants the body to take action against Borromeo for “maligning” its reputation when he ignored its invitation.
Sun.Star Cebu tried but failed to get Borromeo’s comment. He could not be reached through his mobile phone.
An operator of The Freeman, where Borromeo works, said he was already out of the office.
But Borromeo, in his letter to the PB, said he had no intention to “tarnish the image of the provincial officials” when he wrote that Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia hired an unqualified personnel.
Borromeo had been invited to the PB session three times to explain the article that came out last July 7 and entitled “COA says Capitol hired unqualified personnel.”
Borromeo had said he got a copy of the Commission on Audit (COA) report from its website and he quoted it as saying that the personnel hired for the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD)-Cebu Province failed to meet the required educational requirements.
“(My) news report clearly explained that while the present ECCD officer lacked a master’s degree, she is considered as the most qualified for the position from among the applicants,” he said in his letter.
He admitted mistakenly referring to the Provincial Government as the “management” instead of the Council for Welfare of Children.
PB Member Agnes Magpale said yesterday she wanted to put an end to the matter since Borromeo already called her and explained his side.
Borromeo, she added, even personally went to her office and talked with Marivic Garces, chief of the Provincial Social Welfare Services Office.
But Bolo said that it seemed easy for Borromeo to “badmouth” the PB and to ignore its invitation.
For his part, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. said that Borromeo visited his office yesterday but he was not around.
Sanchez said that his staff offered Borromeo to sit down but the latter reportedly refused and rushed out of the office—an act, which the vice governor described as a “display of arrogance.”
Bolo said the PB should take necessary action on the journalist’s “misdemeanor” when he tarnished the image of the body.
However, Magpale moved to refer the matter to the committee on laws. Her proposal was approved by the PB. (GMD)
