Inquirer apologizes to Super Radyo dzBB's Melo del Prado for linking him to PDAF scam

The Philippine Daily Inquirer on Friday issued an apology to Super Radyo dzBB anchorman Melo del Prado over its 2014 reports claiming he benefitted from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or "pork barrel," scam.

“The Philippine Daily Inquirer apologizes to Mr. Melo del Prado, broadcaster of dzBB Radio-GMA Network, for the articles published on March 19, March 20 and March 21, 2014, that reported that he benefitted from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), more popularly known as 'pork barrel,' of some lawmakers by way of advertising funds that were coursed through the National Agri-business Corp. (Nabcor),” the Inquirer said in a statement posted on its website.

PDI said further verification of documents showed that Nabcor has entered into several advertising contracts with various media print and radio outlets for the “Barangay Bagsakan-Bagsakan Center” advertisement.

“The payments for the advertisement do not show that they came from the PDAF. The Philippine Daily Inquirer and sister publication Bandera have also published similar advertisements placed by Nabcor,” PDI said.

“The documents do not show that Mr. Del Prado received payoffs or benefitted from the PDAF. We regret the inconvenience and adverse effects that the news reports may have caused Mr. Del Prado, his family, GMA Network and colleagues in the media,” it added.

Del Prado welcomed PDI’s apology, saying their clarification will put the issue to rest.

"We appreciate the statement published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer and posted on the Inquirer.net. That's a welcome development. We are happy that with this clarification, we can finally put this issue to rest,” Del Prado said.

An internal investigation by GMA Network Inc. in 2014 had already cleared Del Prado of links to the pork barrel scam. The three-member panel said it “found no basis to say that Del Prado, while working as an anchorman of GMA/DZBB, received any payoff from any legislator’s pork barrel.” —Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA News