House prosecutors see cyber libel complaints vs journalists as attack on press freedom

MANILA — The House prosecution sees the series of libel complaints filed in Davao City against journalists and members of the media as an attack on press freedom, Bicol Saro Party-List Rep. Terry Ridon said Monday.

Ridon, speaking for the panel, drew parallels between the libel cases and the attacks on media during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, when the Philippines was ranked a low of 147th of 180 countries in May 2022.

Police arrested 72-year-old journalist Philip Lustre Jr. on Saturday for a cyber libel case against him by Atty. Manases Carpio, Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband. 

A day before, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte filed libel and cyber libel complaints against executives and journalists of GMA Network.

Ridon said “a red line needs to be made” on filing cases against journalists.

“It speaks volumes about how they actually look at media and there is historical precedent on it,” he said as he cited legal challenges and cases against ABS-CBN and Rappler during the Duterte years.

He said the House “will not allow them to do it again” and promised support to journalists facing cases.

Ridon also called out the Philippine National Police for what he said was a “double standard” on warrants. He said police had not attempted to arrest Vice President Duterte, who is facing a grave threats case at a Quezon City court.

“What is the distinction that the [PNP] had implemented on both of these cases?” he said.

Bills to decriminalize  libel have been filed in the 20th Congress but have been stuck at the committee level.

ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio, author of one of those bills, called Lustre’s arrest “an alarming escalation in the weaponization of cyberlibel against journalists” and part of a “systematic effort to silence the critical press.” — Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News