CMFR/Philippines—Over a hundred journalists filed two separate suits on 28 January 2008 in a unified effort to halt government threats against the press as well as further arrests.
Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Winlove Dumayas granted a 72-hour temporary restraining order (TRO) barring the police, military, and other government offices, from issuing [...]
CMFR Alert: Journalists file suits to stop threats; court issues order against harassment
Dumaguete journalist, mayor swap civil suits
DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A newspaper columnist here has demanded an apology from Dumaguete City Mayor Agustin Perdices in exchange for dropping his civil suit against the mayor for violation of press freedom rights.
Columnist Dindo Generoso of the weekly paper The Negros Chronicle made the demand on January 23 during a pre-trial of a counter-suit [...]
Broadcaster jailed for libel
A provincial radio commentator has been over a week in jail after being arrested on 22 January 2008 for failing to attend court hearings. No bail was recommended for his release.
Julito “Lito” Ucab, a freelance radio commentator in Cagayan de Oro, is now behind bars in the Butuan City Jail for failure to attend court [...]
CHIEF JUSTICE’S CIRCULAR A CLARION CALL FOR CONGRESS TO PASS BILL DECRIMINALIZING LIBEL
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today batted anew for the passage of the bill decriminalizing libel following the issuance by Chief Justice Reynato Puno of a circular advising judges all over the country to refrain from imposing jail sentence on journalists and other persons convicted of libel.
Pimentel said the Puno circular is [...]
KIKO PUSHES FOR AMENDMENTS ON THE EXISTING LIBEL LAW
Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan is willing to spearhead the move to amend the existing libel law following Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s suggestion that judges should prefer imposing a fine rather than imprisonment on erring journalists. “Having been a former mediaman myself, I understand the plight of practitioners. Libel suits [...]
