For cutting scenes from mauling video: ABS-CBN sacks two tv crewmen

Television network ABS-CBN terminated the services of two employees, who were found to have violated the company’s code of conduct in relation to a mauling incident after a road mishap that involved a police officer.

TV reporter Ramil Paican and cameraman Joel Noel, who both spent more than 14 years with the company, were found to have also violated rules and regulations of the ABS-CBN news department.

Driver Samuel Trangia, who is connected with a manpower service agency, was also terminated.

Paican and Noel were onboard the TV station’s pick-up, which was bumped head on by a car driven by Sr. Inspector Jose Liddawa, the former chief of the Subangdaku Police Station in Mandaue City last September 17.

Liddawa, who was drunk at the time of the incident, drove his car into the lane of the TV station’s vehicle and engaged the TV crew in a heated argument that eventually led them to come to blows.

Initially, the TV crew reported about the verbal assault of Liddawa and his attempt to hit the men.  The TV crew also reported that Liddawa eventually passed out and was taken to the hospital.

When an investigation was conducted, several witnesses surfaced and claimed that the TV crew ganged up on Liddawa, who vehemently denied he tried to punch the people around him.  The video footage however showed how the obviously intoxicated police officer shouted at the crew “pulis ako, hindi ako lasing” as he staggered towards them before trying to throw a punch that missed Noel.

The police officer said that he just tried to push Noel away and the others and did not mean to punch them.

After Liddawa’s lawyer Noel Archival asked the TV station to bring out the complete footage of the incident, it was proven that the crew indeed threw punches at Liddawa resulting to his passing out.

The police authorities have put Liddawa under a 45-day preventive suspension because of the incident.

According to TV Patrol News anchor and station manager of dyAB Leo Lastimosa, the station’s management found probable cause to terminate them.

According to Lastimosa, Paican and Noel violated Section 4 of the Code of Conduct of ABS-CBN broadcasting on offense against integrity and honesty that states “knowingly giving false or presenting false testimony or evidence/concealing material facts during investigation conducted by the company.”

Also, in the news department rules and regulations that Paican and Noel violated when “they alter video and misled the viewers.”

But the management, according to Lastimosa, gave the crew all the chances to explain and tell the whole truth of the incident, but they reportedly stood by the story instead of telling the truth when confronted about the incident.

The part of the video that showed the crew hitting back at Liddawa was not aired allegedly on instructions of Paican.

“It was difficult for us but we have to impose the penalty. Mao gyud ni ang nakalisod kay mortal sin man gyud ang ilang offense,” Lastimosa said.

The termination order was served Monday afternoon by station manager Veneranda “Tata” Cinco-Sy and Danny de Guzman of ABS-CBN HRD-Manila.

Paican and Noel accepted their termination order without rancor but they were very sad about it.

Lastimosa said that the two will not receive any benefits.

“Gidawat nako ang maong kamatuoran. Mangayo lang pud ko og pasaylo kang Sir Liddawa ug kaubanan,” Noel said in interview over dyAB yesterday morning.

Lastimosa said that Paican and Noel have been “very good workers and employees.”

With the sanction imposed by the management of ABS-CBN, Lastimosa urged the Philippine National Police “do the same.”

“Kung wala palang unta naghinubog ang polis dili unta maingon niana ang panghitabo,” Lastimosa added.

In a separate interview with The Freeman, Archival said that he is not happy over the decision of the management of ABS-CBN.

“I am not happy because the penalty is very hard. What will happen to their family, but what can we do? We cannot control the management,” Archival said.

Archival added that Liddawa asked “sorry and we do not intend to hurt their family. But it is our duty to tell the truth kay madaot man pud ta kung di ta mo-sulti sa kamatuoran.”

Newly-installed Police Regional Director-7 Ronald Roderos said he already approved the 45-day suspension Liddawa and designated Chief Inspector Henry Biñas for the conduct of summary dismissal proceeding against the police officer.

Roderos said he has given Biñas 45-days to finish the investigation.— (/NLQ)