PDI stands by story on Joker’s intervention in Neri’s testimony

The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) newspaper on Tuesday stood by its story on Sen. Joker Arroyo’s intervention in Romulo Neri’s testimony during the September 26 Senate closed-door hearing on the $329.48-million National Broadband Network project with China’s Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) Corp. “The Inquirer stands by its story. The Inquirer however, regrets that it cannot reveal the identities of its sources since the information related to the Inquirer was given in confidence and on condition of anonymity," the PDI said in a statement. Last Sunday, the PDI came out with a banner story quoting sources saying that Neri, former head of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), was “on the verge" of telling the rest of his explosive story on the supposed lobbying and bribery in the ZTE deal during a Senate executive session. However, the article said Arroyo intervened by making a motion to allow Neri to avail himself of the legal counsel of his choice before the former NEDA chief makes his testimony. Arroyo “completely denied" that he blocked Neri’s testimony and urged the PDI to reveal the sources of its information. However, in the same statement, PDI refused to reveal it sources, saying that Republic Act 53 or the Press Freedom Law, protects journalists from being compelled to name their news source. “(Under the law), any newspaper…cannot be compelled to reveal the source of any news report or information appearing in said publication, which was related in confidence," the PDI said. On Tuesday, GMA News reported that Arroyo’s resolution to investigate into the news sources of the PDI article has been endorsed to the House Committee on Ethics. At the Senate, Arroyo reiterated denying that he barred Neri from testifying in the executive session. He said the writer of the PDI news might have been misled or that somebody was “telling a lie." - GMANews.TV