CCAIB files motion against tabloids

CEBU, Philippines -The Cebu City Anti-Indecency Board (CCAIB) is seeking for a reconsideration of the resolution of Acting City Prosecutor Ferdinand Collantes dismissing the complaint filed against two Cebu tabloids.

CCAIB, represented by its chairperson, Dr. Lucelle Mercado, questioned the findings of Collantes for four reasons.

She said Collantes made a mistake when he found that the theme of the publications does not appear lascivious.

“Thus, taking into account the seven-part series of these publications and regardless of the use of the figure of speech and words with double meanings in describing the intimate parts of a person’s body, complainant-movants strongly believe that the printed words did not allow any other conclusion but the actual sexual act itself,” reads the motion for reconsideration.

Prosecutor Aida Sanchez, deputy member of the CCAIB, wonders why Collantes made pronouncement in the resolution with no justification.

Sanchez said there is no perfect definition of “obscenity” as it is a case to case basis.

“There is no perfect definition of obscenity, for what may be obscene to one person may not be obscene to another. This is the precise reason that the Board, which was created by the Cebu City Government, is composed of different representatives coming from different sectors in our society,” she said.

Sanchez said filing the complaint was a collective opinion among the members of the board that such articles were obscene.

Mercado added that Collantes was incorrect when he applied his own understanding on the issue on whether the publications were indeed obscene.

She said at a mere glance of the said columns in the two tabloids, it would clearly reveal that the themes “are purely to excite the prurient mind.”

“The different sectors in its resolution find that the subject articles are obscene. The complaint should have been examined and resolved with scrutiny considering that the different sectors of the community, applying their own standards, spoke that the articles subject matter are obscene,” the motion reads.

Meanwhile, the CCAIB is asking for the inhibition of Collantes in resolving their motion for reconsideration. The board added they wanted that a panel of prosecutors will resolve the case.

Collantes dismissed the complaints filed against BANAT News publisher Juanito Jabat, President Miguel Belmonte and writer Cindy Jones, and Superbalita editor-in-chief Michelle So, publisher Julius Neri Jr. and writer Fred Monternel for insufficient evidence.

Collantes added the publications were not pornographic, indecent or obscene materials that violated the city ordinance. — (FREEMAN)