THE Sunday PUNCH has been ordered banned in sessions and committee hearings of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) including virtual sessions, reportedly on orders of the members of the majority on the representation of Councilor Redford Erfe-Mejia for unknown reasons.

This was confirmed by City Secretary Ryan Ravanzo on Wednesday night in front of some media practitioners after PUNCH managing editor Leonardo Micua was denied access to the Wednesday virtual committee hearing of the SP via Zoom.

When Aksyon Radyo station manager Violeta Ferrer asked Ravanzo if she and the rest are also similarly banned from accessing the session of the SP via Zoom, he said: “Ikaw at kayo puede, pero sila (Sunday Punch) hindi,” clarifying that he’s just following the order of Erfe-Mejia.

The announced ban by Erfe-Mejia was contrary to the declaration of Vice Mayor Bryan Kua, presiding officer of the SP, during its Tuesday’s regular (virtual) session, who in response to the parliamentary inquiry of Councilor Erfe-Mejia on who are authorized to attend virtual sessions of the SP, said all sessions of the local legislative body are open to all since ‘Zoom’ is no different from face-to-face session.

When Kua asked Acting SP Secretary Rea Manuel to read names of those attending via ‘Zoom’, she named Councilors Celia Lim and Irene Acosta-Lim, and four others, including Micua representing The PUNCH. (The names of  institution or company represented by three others were not mentioned by Manuel).

On sensing that Erfe-Mejia was seeking an exclusion of some sectors, Councilor and Minority Floor Leader Michael Fernandez manifested that throughout the years, the sessions of the Sanggunian were open to the public, adding that “anyone who would like to observe the session of the SP is more than welcome, even those from abroad.”

Erfe-Mejia countered that he would like to pattern the session of the Dagupan Sanggunian to the sessions of the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives where those who want to watch must register and await approval.

At this juncture, Fernandez interjected: “Sa amin po sa minority, ayaw po namin na hindi magiging open ang session ng Sanggunian, whether physically or virtually.”

However, before the committee hearing chaired on Wednesday could start, Erfe-Mejia  ordered Ravanzo to deny PUNCH’s Micua access to the virtual committee hearing.

It was learned from a reliable source inside the Sanggunian that it was the series of articles published in The PUNCH about the scholarship program, the continued inaction on the  Supplemental Budget and  Supplemental Annual Investment Program, and the Audit Observation Memorandum of the Commission on Audit that prompted members of the majority to ban Micua, representing The PUNCH, in all sessions of the SP, including  access to virtual sessions via Zoom in retaliation to the negative impact of news stories and columns published in The PUNCH on their representation.

Two months ago, Micua was already ordered by Erfe-Mejia to step out of the session hall during the committee hearing conducted by the majority members. (EDITOR)

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