Senate President Franklins Drilon presents a copy of resolution expressing the sympathy of the Senate to the family of Philippine Daily Inquirer Editor-in-Chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc at the Session Hall of the Senate in Pasay City. Present are husband Dr. Carlos Magsanoc and daughter Kara MAgsanoc-Alikpala. RICHARD A. REYES
Another resolution, seeking to honor and remember the late Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) editor-in-chief Leticia “Letty” Jimenez-Magsanoc for her “invaluable services to the Filipino people,” was filed at the Senate on Thursday.
Senate Resolution No. 1704 was filed by Senator Aqulino “Koko” Pimentel III. Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senator Loren Legarda earlier filed separate resolutions for Magsanoc, who passed away on December 24, 2015 at the age of 74.
READ: Legarda files 2nd resolution to honor LJM
In his resolution, Pimentel hopes that Magsanoc’s “legacy of keeping the fire of freedom of the press burning” would continue through all of the journalists she nurtured under her tutelage as editor of the Inquirer and prior to that as editor of Panorama, the Sunday magazine of the Manila Bulletin.
“She (Magsanoc) will always be remembered as the fearless journalist who fought for the exercise of free speech regardless of who occupied the highest position of the land,” he said in a statement.
“Her passing is a great loss not only to the bereaved family and the community of journalists but to the entire Filipino nation as well,” said the senator.
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Magsanoc was cited as one of the 1981 Ten Outstanding Women of the New Society but five months after the distinction, she was forced to resign after writing an article perceived as critical of the Martial Law regime.
“This forced resignation caused outrage from members of the media,” Pimentel said.
“Notable for her role in overthrowing the dictatorship, LJM (Magsanoc’s intials) was named as one of the 60 Asian Heroes in 2006 by Time Magazine. She was also awarded by the University of Missouri with the Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism,” he further said. CDG
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