Papin threatens lawsuit vs journalist for ‘news error’

PILI, Camarines Sur --- Vice Governor Imelda Papin has recently suggested that the Department of Education (DepEd) regional office and the Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP) should file a libel case against Michael Jaucian, Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter who wrote a news article titled “70,000 students in Bicol can’t read.”

It will be remembered that on February 17, 2020, the said paper published the news degrading the image of teachers and the DepEd in Bicol.

The suggestion was made after Grace Rabelas, education supervisior for curriculum and learning division of DepEd Bicol revealed that the data showing 70,000 students who cannot read is not valid.

Rabelas, who represented DepEd’s regional director Gilbert Sadsad said, Jaucian was already approached by their office regarding the matter although he never apologized.

During the session regular in the afternoon of March 4, Papin said the news which shows wrong information identifies Bicolanos. She said, they should file a lawsuit against the journalist.

When the vice governor asked Rabelas about their actions on the issue she replied that the regional director urges to address and end the issue.

In an interview, Rabelas told Bicol Mail that the DepEd is currently validating on the data about struggling and non-reading students throughout the region.

Meanwhile, Board Member Emmanuel Noble, when interviewed said, his committee will file a resolution asking Jaucian to apologize in public.

In Jaucian’s article, Rabelas is cited as the source of the information.