MANILA, Philippines - Prosecution lawyer Harry Roque will file a motion before the Supreme Court seeking clarification on the conditions set by the high court on the live coverage of Maguindanao massacre trial.
In a decision penned by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, the high court explicitly ordered coverage of the hearings in their entirety.
"To provide a faithful and complete broadcast of the proceedings, no commercial break or any other gap shall be allowed until the day's proceedings are adjourned, except during the period of recess called by the trial court and during portions of the proceedings wherein the public is ordered excluded," said Roque, citing paragraph F of the guidelines set by the Supreme Court.
He described the condition as an infringement on press freedom and on the property rights of broadcast companies.
Rather than encourage media outlets to conduct news coverage, Roque said it was more of a "discouragement."
"Para bagang nagdikta ang korte, sige payag ka, pero susunod ka sa sinasabi namin na di ka pwedeng tumigil," he said.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) echoed Roque's opinion.
NUJP Secretary-General Weng Paraan believes that it is also impossible for media outlets to air the proceedings minute-by-minute until the very end of the trial.
"Sabi ni Senator Joker Arroyo, baka daw abutin ito ng 200 years, ibig bang sabihin ganun katagal susundan ito ng media," she said
