Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo on Friday night rejected the apology of inquirer.net regarding its malicious reports that the Palace official supposedly recommended and endorsed to the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) the application for executive clemency of rape-slay convict and former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez.
“The apology of Inquirer.net therefore as worded is unacceptable. It is not sufficient for us not to pursue our intended libel suit against them,” said Panelo in a statement released yesterday night.
Panelo explained that the apology came with an explanation that they “posted Secretary Panelo’s clarification upon receipt of his statement on the matter. The updated reports stated that he merely referred the request of Sanchez’s family to Bayang.”
“I find it unfortunate that Inquirer.net first needed a “clarification” before it could rectify and update its reports,” said Panelo. “Truth be told, I did not clarify anything for there was no need for the same, it being very clear that what I made was a simple referral of a citizen’s concern to the appropriate agency. It was not a recommendation.”
The Palace official stressed that it was not an endorsement, noting that his rejoinder to the Inquirer.net’s malicious reporting “was not a clarification of what the act of referring a letter meant. I did not have to clarify.”
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“Inquirer.net knew what the said act is and the word “referral” meant. It maliciously twisted their meaning to put me in a bad light and besmirch my reputation,” said Panelo. “My lecture on the meaning of the English words “referral”, “recommendation”, “endorsement” and “endorsement” were intended to show to the public why there was malice and criminal intent in the subject news article.”
Panelo also noted that other than Inquirer.net and Rappler, all other news publications reported the matter as he was referring the said concern to the BPP.
“I could only hope that this would serve as a warning to all journalists, editors and publications that although freedom of the press is guaranteed by the Constitution, they should still ensure that the words they use in reporting are accurate pursuant to their duty to deliver news that is only truthful and unbiased,” said Panelo.
