(CMFR/IFEX) – Four editors, including one who was arrested and spent a night in a police station, and a staff writer of a Philippine online magazine, posted P10,500 (approx. US$210) bail bond each at the Pasig city police station on 8 March 2007 over a P100 million (approx. US$2.06 million) libel suit filed by Ilocos […]
(CMFR/IFEX) – Four editors, including one who was arrested and spent a night in a police station, and a staff writer of a Philippine online magazine, posted P10,500 (approx. US$210) bail bond each at the Pasig city police station on 8 March 2007 over a P100 million (approx. US$2.06 million) libel suit filed by Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson in 2005. Singson is now a candidate for the senate under the Arroyo administration ticket. Ilocos Sur is a province north of Manila.
Arrest warrants were supposed to be served on “Newsbreak” editor-in-chief Marites Vitug, managing editor Maan Hontiveros, business editor Lala Rimando, online editor Gemma Bagayaua, and staff writer Aries Rufo on 7 March.
Bagayaua was the only one arrested as she was the only one present in “Newsbreak”‘s office in the Manila suburb of Pasig when police officers arrived at around 3:00 p.m. (local time). Libel is a criminal offence in the Philippines.
The arrest warrant had been issued on 15 February 2007 by Judge Dominador Arquilada of the Vigan Regional Trial Court branch 21 but reached the Pasig police only on 7 March.
Bagayaua spent the night in the Pasig City police headquarters. She was not able to post bail after her arrest because the head of the police warrant office was not around to release the papers for bail. Vitug said that they tried to post bail in a night court in Quezon City, but failed to do so as it was open only until 6:00 p.m.
Friends and members of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines lighted candles during the night of Bagayaua’s detention in solidarity and to protest the arrest.
The five “Newsbreak” staffers posted bail at 9:00 a.m. 8 March, but were able to leave the police station only at 2:30 p.m. because of legal technicalities.
Bagayaua, who was released after about 21 hours of detention, said she was “relieved”.
“This has been a nuisance. I am supposed to be doing other work and this has been a big inconvenience,” Bagayaua said.
Singson filed the libel suit on 22 June 2005 over the 6 June 2005 issue of “Newsbreak”, which contained stories about his influence on the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration, as well as on his assets.
Singson was reportedly ready to drop the charges if the “Newsbreak” staff apologized. Vitug, however, said that they would not apologize as they were standing by their stories.
“Our stories are well-documented. We stand on solid ground,” Vitug said.
Vitug also reiterated the call for libel to be decriminalized, as criminal libel suits have been a potent tool of harassment in the Philippines, where “the powerful can really get away with anything and journalists are at a disadvantage.”
Rogelio Vinluan, “Newsbreak”‘s lawyer, has filed a petition for review and a transfer of the case from Manila to Vigan, the capital of Ilocos Sur, where Singson holds office as governor.
Vitug, along with associate editor Glenda Gloria, four former staffers and a contributor, has also been sued for libel by Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, husband of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Mike Arroyo has sued a total of 46 journalists for libel (see IFEX alerts of 21 February, 30, 12 and 8 January 2007, 15 December and 14 November 2006, and others).