VETERAN journalist Froilan Gallardo defended his re-election as president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), asserting that his victory reflects the trust of more than 100 club members in his leadership.
“If I had bad behavior or engaged in corruption, would I have won? Ask the 10 board members who won under my leadership, while my critics lost and were removed” Gallardo said Monday.
Gallardo received 59 votes, the highest in the election. He dismissed accusations that only P25,000 remained in the club’s funds, citing an external audit report showing more than P190,000 in the COPC account as of Feb. 8.
“The external audit was conducted by an independent auditor not affiliated with the club. You understand what an external audit is, right?,” he rhetorically asked.
Gallardo also brushed off criticism regarding his Facebook post mentioning city hall, which allegedly sparked controversy.
“Who condemned me? Just two people — one was a major loser, and the other was expelled from the club,” he said.
He emphasized that his leadership aims to keep journalism independent from political interference. He also plans to hold more training sessions and seminars for journalists, particularly members of the COPC, the oldest press club in the Philippines.
