(Eagle News)–The Manila Times on Thursday, April 25, clarified its managing editor Felipe Salvosa II resigned because he was “asked to do so.”
Slamming publications that “twisted” this fact, The Manila Times said this was asked of Salvosa because he “behaved unethically when he posted a statement on social media without first notifying or clarifying with our Chairman Emeritus, Dr. Dante A. Ang, the issues that he had with the story ‘Oust-Duterte plot bared,’ written by the owner himself.”
In a Tweet, Salvosa, who teaches at the University of Sto. Tomas and is its journalism coordinator, had said it was “a very huge stretch for anyone to accuse (the Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism), Vera Files and Rappler of actively plotting to unseat the President.”
“A diagram is by no means an evidence of ‘destabilization’ or an ‘ouster plot,’” Salvosa had said.
According to The Manila Times, in the first place, the newspaper has a “long-standing open-door policy that allows any employee to contact or visit our Chairman Emeritus, especially on editorial matters.”
But “Mr. Salvosa did not object to the story to our Chairman Emeritus, nor did the former managing editor suggest ways of rewriting or handling the piece,” the newspaper said.
“He was merely told that copyediting of the story was no longer required as that was done by the editor in chief,” it added.
Matrix story
The publication also stood by the “matrix” story in question, saying it was a “story in itself.”
According to The Manila Times, Ang had a “credible source–no less than the Office of the President of the Philippines,” and this had been explained to Salvosa.
“Mr. Salvosa was also informed that our Chairman Emeritus did his own background check, using several sources, before submitting his draft for editing,” the newspaper said, noting that there was “also an effort to solicit a reaction from at least one of the names mentioned, but that could not be secured as of press time on Sunday.”
The Manila Times said the story was also “not a PR piece.”
It said “Dr. Ang’s appointment as special envoy has no line item or office in the government or remuneration of any kind.”
“He was simply acting on his journalistic instincts having been given an opportunity to write a legitimate story, that was later confirmed by the Palace,” The Manila Times said.