VETERAN newsman Orlando ‘Orlan’ Mauricio has sought the help of the Judiciary against officials of the Bulacan Provincial Government headed by Governor Daniel Fernando for alleged violations of his constitutional rights.
In a petition for certiorari and prohibition and urgent issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) covering 47 pages filed last December 9, Mauricio, 66, asked the Malolos City Regional Trial Court to rule on the legality and constitutionality of the province’s continued ban on his physical presence within the compound of the Provincial Capitol or in any of its buildings, offices, and agencies.
Thru Sangguniang Panglalawigan Resolution 095-S’2025 passed and adopted last September 15, 2025, Mauricio and his legally registered weekly newspaper, ‘MetroNews Bulacan’ were also declared ‘persona-non-grata’ on the instigation of Fernando.
In a talk with Pinoy Exposé, Mauricio said he first learned of the ban against him when he was barred from entering the compound of the Provincial Capitol by the assigned security guards when he went there last October 23, to deliver the latest issues of his weekly paper.
In compliance to the “illegal and unconstitutional” decision of the Sanggunian and Fernando, Mauricio said that on September 19, Manuel Lukban Jr., Chief of the Provincial Security and Jail Management Office, issued a written instruction to the Capitol’s security guards to prevent his entering its premises.
Thru his counsels, Atty. Ramon Matignas Jr. and Atty. Early Joy Salunat, Mauricio asked the highest to compel the following to respond to his complaint, namely:
Governor Daniel Fernando; Vice Governor and Sanggunian Presiding Officer Alexis Castro; and Board Members:
Erlene Luz dela Cruz, Lee Edward Nicolas, Anna Kathrina Hernandez, Nicolas William Villarica, Renato DL De Guzman Jr., Arthur Legaspi, Casey Tyrone Howard, Fortunato SJ Angeles, Liberato Sembrano and Josef Andrew Mendoza.
Also asked to comment are, Lukban and two security guards surnamed Capule and Valenzuela who prevented Mauricio to physically enter the Provincial Capitol compound last October 23.
In his petition, Mauricio argued that the ban on him and his paper violated his constitutional rights to travel, freedom of the press, freedom of information and access to official records, documents and papers as a member of the Fourth Estate.
Mauricio has a long-running disagreement with Fernando dating back to several years now.
In 2023, Mauricio said he was sued for libel by Fernando for questioning the Governor’s decision to allow the construction of the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in the province without public consultation.
He averred Fernando’s unilateral decision is behind the province’s now perennial problem with flooding.
Mauricio was again sued for libel by the Governor for questioning the increase in the province’s real property taxes without publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
The tension between them further heightened when Mauricio repeatedly questioned the governor’s P200 million yearly ‘intelligence fund’ for years now that the reporter alleged did not result to the improvement in the province’s peace and order situation.
Maurico also questioned the governor’s alleged order to arrest a public utility driver for displaying a mudguard on his jeepney that reads, “Sa ikauunlad ng Bulacan, kalibugan ay tigilan.”
Mauricio maintained in his newspaper that the arrest was illegal for violation of every citizen’s right to freedom of expression.
He also questioned if Fernando was slighted by the slogan since he remains single despite having a reputation as a ‘ladies’ man.’
Mauricio also questioned Fernando’s virility as he remains unable to father a child until now (this is a corrected story from the earlier post. We regret the unfortunate oversight earlier—Editor).