In its front-page newspaper masthead, The Philippine Star proudly proclaims the “Truth shall prevail” slogan

In its front-page newspaper masthead, The Philippine Star proudly proclaims the “Truth shall prevail” slogan.
By: Graham C. Lim

Consequently, Star is expected to adhere to fair reportage where news reports and opinions of columnists may be rebutted or denied in print in the name of fairness. While “free space” is upon the discretion of the editors, the right to reply to a false accusation or inaccuracy in a newspaper must also be allowed to find print.  
 
One-sided or bias reportage has no space in a legitimate newspaper unless freedom of information is restricted only to the influential or powers-that-be.
 
For the second time in the Philippines Star, the Honorable Jarius Bondoc came out to malign me in his column for May 25, 2016 based on his alleged conversations with the honorable Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., the long-serving president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
 
The first time Bondoc came out to attack me in his column, I sent a letter to the Philippine Star editors to answer the unfounded accusations of Cojuangco and Bondoc against my person.
 
Not surprisingly, my letter failed to find print when fairness dictates the Star should do so.
 
Now comes again the rehashed accusations and imaginary charges against me in the May 25, 2016 column of the Honorable Bondoc.
 
All of the accusations hurled against me are the figment of imagination of Cojuangco and shamelessly parroted by his spin doctor, Bondoc.
 
Descriptions of how some people allegedly were illegally sent out to different basketball tournaments – such as those supposedly happening way back before 2012 – when, in fact, the Basketball Association of the Philippines had been out of the national basketball leadership (and replaced by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas since the time) had already been in control of the national basketball leadership as early as 2008, is purely the work of a fiction writer or somebody suffering from symptoms of senility.
 
And after concocting those so-called stories, I am being accused of being a human smuggler in order to justify the aforementioned tales, I, having been the BAP secretary general, and Senator Antonio Trillanes, concurrently the BAP president whom Cojuangco and Bondoc find unadulterated joy in attacking for a political matter not related to my case, have been maligned with impunity.
 
Worse, I am saddened when I can’t fight back on a leveled field and reply to the accusations in the same forum (newspaper) that published them.
 
“Truth shall prevail” is the Philippine Star’s proud slogan.  Soon, the world will also find out the truth and, as they say, “the truth shall set us free.”
 
Change is coming.  And the truth shall be its biggest victor.

Date: Thu, May 26, 2016 at 4:40 PM
Subject: "Truth shall prevail" slogan!
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