By Mortz C. Ortigoza
Many reporters and broadcasters in Manila
and in Pangasinan have been sued with the criminal cyber libel cases in the
months that stretch to the May 9, 2022 national and local elections.
Before one of them – a blowhard- was sued, he kept crowing to us fellow practitioners how he earned a windfall from national, provincial, and local candidates who paid him monthly as block timer and their apologist in his radio programs.
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| A MUG SHOT in a police station of an arrested person sued with cyber libel in the Philippines. (Photo credit: Youtube |
Because of his bravados to impress his
patrons – and add for more willing pay sponsors – he scathingly attacks with
his microphone without even basis the political nemesis and rivals of his
benefactors.
A government executive sued him with cyber
libel because he bludgeoned him regularly in his broadcast program how the
official enriched himself by funneling funds from his post to build his
palatial mansion.
I asked my 58 years old pal if he has basis
like official receipts that the executive indulged to corruption. He honestly
told me he had nothing.
I told him there is a big chance he will be
convicted with those online defamation (the unpopular radio station with a modicum of listeners (that can occupy a phone booth) piggyback on Facebook) that mete a penalty of prision mayor of more than eight years’ jail time.
“You’ll
go to the calaboose after you battle that case from the Regional Trial Court,
Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. Your braggadocio that you earn tens of
thousands of pesos monthly in the last election will be nothing,” I said.
He confidently told me that his sponsor
furnished him a private lawyer – who was all paid - where he would be
exonerated later.
Lately, he called me how the process to
file a bail bond because of a pending warrant of arrest.
“You
asked your lawyer to assist you because you can even ask the judge of a
reduce bail of P5,000 from the P10,000 bail for cyber libel,” this op-ed writer – who was sued in the past with regular
libel - advise him.
He deplored that he would be seeking the
legal gratis services of the lawyer
from the public attorney’s office (PA).
“Matutuluyan
ka niyan sa Muntinlupa pag PAO ang kinuha mo. Madaming kasong hawak iyan dahil
libre sila hindi matutukan mabuti iyang kaso mo!” I
exclaimed on the phone.
The lesson with this bragging reporter-friend
– who even exaggerated (to the envy of his colleague hahaha- how much he received from the pulitiko – and other
broadcasters – for- sale: The remuneration given to you by your sponsors will
be useless in the long grinding legal struggle filed by the complainants – who
have enough doughs - to see you cringe
into financial misery and the cold floor of the brig later.
Many reporters who fought tooth and nail
with their benefactors in an election have been absconded by the latter and left
pathetically to the care of the PAO lawyers.
Was my broadcaster friend left to the care
of the PAO? Will see when the regular trial starts.
***
While writing this column, a publisher
friend called me this Saturday with an info: One of the three radio announcers
sued with libel by a mayor was incarcerated.
“He did not have the money to pay the P10,
700 bail bond,” the mestizo looking lothario-publisher – emphatically said.
He explained the P700 was for the documentary
stamps, and other legal fees required by the executive judge.
“Where
are his provincial politicians’ patrons whom he fought rabidly during the
campaign period of the election?” I posed.
In my decades of journalistic practice, members of the fourth-estate are vulnerable to bribes and highest bidding moneyed politicians.
The financial hardship among the
practitioners – a prestigious job but lacks lucrativeness – made them a diehard
defender to their benefactors who wet their whistle. The downside: Either they
are sued criminally or shoot –to-death by the hire hands of the nemesis of
their patrons.
READ MY OTHER COLUMN/BLOG:
Shield Law Does not Protect Radio Announcers on Libel
I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.
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