How flattering that this Paper had to be singled out in an open letter addressed to no less than the President of the Republic which was published by one of the country’s most influential national dailies? We have mixed feelings about the prominence given to Bohol Sunday Post courtesy of the trios of Bag-ong Bol-anon. A feeling of jubilation that we were given free advertising and a feeling of sadness that we became an unwilling victim of black propaganda. In a full-page ad that appeared in the Philippine Star last Friday, we were mentioned as one of the two newspapers in Bohol (one is the Bohol Chronicle) accused in the so-called conspiracy of silence over the reported and alleged political killings in the province.

The truth of the matter is that there is no truth to the allegation pictured by the mayor of Carmen, the mayor of Tagbilaran, and the congressional contender of the second district – that our lips are all sealed over crimes in Bohol – personal, political, or business related. The past issues of our paper would show that we covered those mentioned incidents and told the stories as truthfully as we know how. As much as we want to print all stories that come to our desk, it doesn’t mean that we have to swallow all sorts of stories that are found in the police blotter to the point that our paper might be categorized as one that is lacking of good taste and human decency. Journalism has to exercise balance and fairness on top of truth above all. We also maintain an editorial independence and we cannot be dictated as to what should be printed every Sunday. If we have missed a story that was deemed important by few individuals, it is because we always give more importance to stories that we strongly believe would serve public interest in large scale.

Nevertheless, thank you to those who singled us out. We actually consider it as a free promotional mileage and a confirmation that we are doing the right thing – that’s why we are being promoted. And we want to make it clear that we do not glorify such free advertising if there is no element of truth to it. Again, why accused us of being silent? Again, of what? What have we done wrong in the service of the Boholano people? How did we survive in the last three decades (almost) if we have been negligent of our journalistic mission and vision? But then again, in truth, there is no need to explain much. We are defined by what we do - and history, not letter writers, is the better judge of our actions.