Libel suit vs RMN Iloilo anchors: Will it prosper?
IL OIL O City–Four broadcasters of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) in this city face a string of libel charges before the Office of the Iloilo City Prosecutor.
The complainant, Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 director Dr. Ramir Uytico, claimed he was maligned.
Uyticolodgedt he complaints against Israel Vincent “Don” Dolido, Henry Lumawag, Novie Guazo, and Regan Arlos on Feb. 7, 2024.
Uytico accused the radio broadcasters of committing libel under the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The DepEd- 6 official said the respondents’ commentaries on their radio programs “ruined my person, demeaned my honor, and tarnished my reputation with insulting invectives.”
The alleged “malicious imputation not only caused damage and reputation to DepEd-6, according to Uytico, but also caused pain and embarrassment to his person and his family.
Ronel Sorbito, RMN Iloilo station manager, labeled the libel suit against his anchormen as a “direct attack on the freedom of the press.”
In a statement, Sorbito said Uytico should not be onion- skinned when faced with media criticism.
“It is his responsibility to face the issues and questions at hand, as it is the right of the public to know his explanation,” said Sorbito.
He added: “The media plays a crucial role in informing the public and holding those in power accountable. By taking legal action against journalists for doing their job, Dr. Uytico is not only silencing the voices of the media but also hindering the public’s right to access information.”
Will the libel suit against the four RMN anchormen prosper?
In the case of Tulfo versus People of the Philippines, the Supreme Court held that the exercise of press freedom must be “consistent with good faith and reasonable care.”
In affirming the conviction of broadcast journalist Erwin Tulfo and four other editorial staff of the daily tabloid Remate in 2008, the tribunal stressed that a free press does not necessarily mean unregulated.
“It falls on the press to wield such enormous power responsibly. It may be a cliché that the pen is mightier than the sword. Still, in this particular case, the lesson to be learned is that such a mighty weapon should not be wielded recklessly or thoughtlessly, but always guided by conscience and careful thought,” the Supreme
Court ruled. ‘PUBLIC RIDICULE’
In his complaint affidavit, Uytico said Dolido should be held liable for libel under the Revised Penal and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for insinuating in his program’s “RMN Targetanay sa Udto” that he (Uytico) used taxpayer’s money for his trip to Boracay Island.
Likewise, Uytico said Lumawag should be held liable for libel under the Revised Penal Code, the Safe Spaces Act, the Cybercrime
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Prevention Act of 2012, and the Data Privacy Act.
He alleged that Lumawag insinuated in his program “Palabra de Honor” in September 2023 and October that he was merely holding his private body parts while in Boracay Island while DepEd was facing huge problems at Laua- an National High School.
Such a term violated the provision of the Safe Spaces Act, which proscribes all genderbased sexual harassment, said Uytico, adding that those statements were “homophobic and sexual harassment.”
“The untruthful statements would also paint an erroneous apprehension in the mind of the general public that subjects me to public ridicule,” added Uytico.
“He also attacked my honesty, integrity, and personal qualities that have no bearing on the public interest,” he added.
Likewise, Uytico said that Guazo and Arlos should also be held liable for libel for allegedly calling him “incompetent and fair leader” in their program “Straight to the Point” in September 2023.
“The said radio broadcasters had exploited his platform when he utilized words and statements in his radio program that maligned, demeaned, and damaged my person, character, and honor,” said Uytico./