TINAWAG na kabalbalan ni dating Chief Presidential Legal Counsel at Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Salvador “Sal” Panelo ang pakikipag-partner ng Comission on Elections (COMELEC) sa Rappler.
Dismayado si Panelo na isa ring senatorial candidate sa pagpili ng COMELEC sa Rappler bilang fact checker sa May elections.
“Kabalbalan ‘yan! There’s a reason why Rappler is the least trusted ‘news organization’ according to surveys,” pahayag ni Panelo.
“How can we have a “clean, credible, honest and transparent” elections when COMELEC chooses an organization that many Filipinos do not trust as its ‘fact-checker?” dagdag nito.
Kinukwestiyon rin ng senatorial candidate kung bakit ang Rappler pa ang pinili ng COMELEC.
“Further, why choose Rappler whose registration was revoked by the SEC for circumventing the constitutional prohibition on foreign ownership of media?” ani Panelo.
Ngunit ayon sa COMELEC, ang naturang kaso ng Rappler ay pending pa umano.
Tugon naman dito ni Panelo na‘irrelevant’ ang ginawang rason ng COMELEC.
“COMELEC’s argument that the case is still pending is irrelevant. The COMELEC and its appointed ‘fact-checker,’ like Caesar’s wife, should be beyond suspicion,” ayon pa kay Panelo.
Dahil dito pinapanigan ni Panelo ang petisyon ng Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) na i-nullify ang kasunduan ng COMELEC sa Rappler sa Korte Suprema.
Saad din nito na sana ay aminin na lamang ng COMELEC ang pagkakamali nito at kusang-loob na bawiin ang kasunduan para hindi masayang ang resources ng gobyerno at hindi na lumaki ang pinsala na naidulot ng naturang pagkakamali.
“However, I hope that the COMELEC just acknowledges its mistake and voluntarily rescinds the agreement so as not to waste government resources, and to limit the damage already caused by this blunder,” dagdag ni Panelo.
