By Gabriela Baron
A kin of a fire victim in Quezon City wants a local news site to apologize over “irresponsible reporting” of her uncle’s death.
In her privilege speech, Quezon City Councilor Doray Delarmente called on the new site to “rectify the numerous mistakes of its reporter and apologize” to the family of her late uncle, retired PBGen. George Ancheta.
Ancheta, 76, died when his two-story house in Barangay Tandang Sora in Quezon City was gutted by fire on May 17. He perished after he was not able to get out of his burning house, while his wife and three househelpers survived the incident.
Delarmente said the reporter made some “unforgivable mistakes” in her report that “inflicted additional pain and misery” to the grieving family.
The reporter reported that Ancheta was able to get out of the house but returned inside.
Delarmente, however, described this as false information since the victim was not able to leave the burning house.
“In our case, not only have you tarnished the reputation of a well-loved, well-respected and bemedalled high-ranking police officer, but you have also broken the hearts of all his family members, friends, at lahat ng mga pulis na nagmamahal at humahanga sa kanya,” Delarmente said in her privilege speech.
The councilor said the reporter “showed insensitivity” when she interviewed on live television a survivor who was “clearly traumatized by the incident.”
She also decried the network’s invasion of privacy since the report showed footage of the victim’s relatives while grieving, panicking and not in their right state of mind.
She requested the Committee on Public Order and Safety to conduct a hearing in aid of legislation on the matter, particularly on the protocols to be observed during such incidents.
Several councilors have expressed support to Delarmente’s call to summon the reporter, her crew, and the head of the broadcasting company’s newsroom to the hearing.
Delarmente said she also wants the Committee to invite the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), particularly FSSUPT Aristotle Banaga, the head of the city’s BFP, the Quezon City Police District, and officials from Barangay Tandang Sora to shed light on the matter.
The network has not yet issued a statement on the matter.
-ag
