Probe into 'fake eclipse footage'

A CONGRESSIONAL committee will investigate reports that a leading Philippine television station faked its international coverage of last Tuesday's solar eclipse from the remote island of Tawi Tawi in southern Mindanao.

Three journalists from the rival government-owned 'People's Television' PTV-4 questioned the authenticity of the coverage on ABC-CBN, saying it had used 1988 footage of a previous eclipse because its satellite communications equipment had broken.

ABS-CBN has denied the charge, saying it repaired the equipment and the footage from the island, which was the only point in the Philippines where the sun was in total eclipse, was live.

ABS-CBN news director Jake Maderazo said he welcomed the Senate inquiry because it would expose the journalists' ignorance.