A Journalist and Some Jerky Journalists

Business Mirror reporter Mia Gonzales was served an arrest warrant this morning for her allegedly libelous article written 2 years back in News Break Magazine about Miguel Arroyo. The six arresting officers who went inside the Press Working Area of the Malacañang Press Corps at the New Executive Building inside the Palace complex left empty handed as Ms. Gonzales was on sick leave. Talk about bobos. Out of the 42 journalists sued for libel by first gentleman Arroyo, Ms Gonzales should have been the last to receive her arrest warrant. Why? Here are my views.

Business Mirror, less than 2 years in publication, is owned by Ambassador Antonio Cabangon-Chua, owner of DWIZ-AM, Fortune Care, Citystate Savings, Citystate Hotel, Eternal Gardens, Isuzu Gencars, the so-called flower group motels and many more business interests. Amb. Cabangon-Chua should have been pissed-off by the arrest of one of his reporters (or elated, what with the free publicities the paper got). A few years back, when I was still working with one of his companies, I remembered looking for sponsors for the First Gentleman's Cup held in Wack-Wack Golf Club, with our boss alledgedly doling out P.5M for the First Gentleman's Cup. Maybe some did not notice, but the fund raising was mentioned by the oppositions during the Jose Pidal controversy. Currently, no less than DOJ Sec. Raul Gonzales hosts one of the morning programs of DWIZ-AM, sort of a PR slot propagating the achievements of the Arroyo government. Now, do you also wonder why Mr. Ramon Tulfo's long running DWIZ program "Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo" was sacked? No, this is not a story of "you scratch my back, I scratch yours"-- this is pure political influence seemingly permeating to business decisions and vice-versa. In the above's case however, loopholes have to be plugged. How could his lackeys missed the connection? Oh I almost forget. Only blind leaders rule the blind. But blind and bobo were they who served the warrant. What then is their boss? You said it. Sue me, anyone?

Meanwhile, here are some future journalists the kind of Mike Arroyo might not be able to file libel with. Not ever. How could he, we are just a cutie jerky lot. Emman, Mark, Teejay, Tom, Dano, me and Camille on the first pic. Apple , ever camshy, joined us on the second shoot. Mucho's videoke bar wasn't much enough to hold the combined birthday party thrown by Tom, Camille and me. Scorpions , surprisingly, are gregarious!

And yes, we can also be obnoxious!