DZRH apologizes for incorrect report on Robredo caravan
MANILA, Philippines — The station manager of DZRH has apologized to Vice President Leni Robredo and her supporters from Northern Samar over its erroneous report that said they did not receive payment for joining the motorcade to support her presidential bid.
“The DZRH report was incorrect. We apologize [Vice President Leni] and to your reporters in Northern Samar,” Cesar Chavez, Manila Broadcasting Company vice president and DZRH station manager, said in a Facebook post late Monday night.
“In my investigation until this hour, our reporter has no direct quote from anyone who said they were ‘not paid’ and that allegedly the organizer ‘pocketed’ they payment for them in exchange of joining the motorcade,” Chavez added in Filipino.
He also said that the reporter has since been suspended while the investigation is ongoing.
Mali ang report ng DZRH, paumanhin po VP @lenirobredo at sa iyong mga supporter sa Northern Samar @barrygutierrez3 @dzrhnews pic.twitter.com/ioY8gnocsh
— Cesar Chavez (@sarchavez) November 1, 2021
“We do not tolerate this. This is not our policy. But we accept the responsibility in this mistake, following our assurance to the public that we will strive harder for a balanced, fair and responsible reporting across our multimedia platforms,” Chavez added.
Participation was voluntary
The said caravan happened in Norther Samar on October 30.
But the activity’s organizers, in a statement shared by Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez, denied that there was money involved in their caravan. They also said participation in the activity was voluntary.
“No one was paid and no one participated because there was payment promised or given. There was no funding for the said activity either,” they added in a statement.
Queenie Tagos, designated spokesperson of the group, also said that participants spent their own money for food, drinks and other expenses. There were also donations for tarpaulins, stickers, banners, ribbons, balloons, food and water, but no money was given by Office of the Vice President, any individual or group linked to Robredo and her team.
Gutierrez, who shared the statement on his Twitter account, said they recognize that “hired trolls” of other candidates will spread lies, but they “expect a bit more from those in the media profession.”
As support for VP Leni grows, we know that the hired trolls of other candidates will work overtime to spread lies and fake news. But we expect a bit more from those in the media profession. Salamat at mabuhay #Kakampink volunteers! #fightfakenews #LeniRobredo2022 #TRoPa2022 pic.twitter.com/cxRJpzmDDY
— Barry Gutierrez (@barrygutierrez3) November 1, 2021
Supporters who joined the activity also reported distress following the false accusation and unjust vilification on social media, Tagos added.
The group demanded an apology from DZRH and that the “damaging and malicious news” be taken down from all its media platforms.
Chavez in a tweet on Tuesday morning said they read the apology at 4:46 a.m. and 5:14 a.m. on radio and TV. It will also be read four more times in different programs of the station.
He then thanked the public for their understanding.
This is also not the first time that activities to support Robredo’s presidential bid were linked to allegations of people getting “incentives,” which the vice president’s office swiftly denied.
On October 24, the OVP and Team Leni Robredo denied social media posts that those who participated in the caravan received money. — Kristine Joy Patag
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