Leonen urges media to shun misleading info

MANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen on Thursday urged the media to “adhere to highest editorial standards and thoroughly verify the information before reporting it to the public.”

“Misleading information, whether or not motivated by malice, harms the shaping of public opinion. It skews democracy in favor of malevolent elements. Freedom of the press is a guaranteed constitutional right, but that comes with the responsibility reposed in those who wield its power. Part of journalism’s ethics is also a duty to be decent,” Leonen said.

The magistrate issued a statement following a news report stating that he asked for P5-million worth of renovation for a cottage assigned to him at the Supreme Court compound in Baguio City.

“My chambers never endorsed the P5-million proposal to renovate Cottage G in Baguio City. The proposal was drafted by the Supreme Court’s Maintenance Division and, without having gone through my office, was placed in the Court En Banc’s agenda,” he said.

“Upon learning of this, I immediately wrote a letter requesting that the matter be withdrawn, and it was promptly deleted,” Leonen added.

Leonen said “disinformation is an insult to the values congealed in free speech. Disinformation, especially from media, should end.” [ac]