By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
The libel lawsuits filed by Department of Education-Region 6 (DepEd-6) director Ramir Uytico against four broadcasters from local station DYRI-RMN Iloilo have drawn significant attention, raising concerns over potential press suppression.
On Thursday, February 22, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Iloilo Chapter criticized Uytico’s legal actions, labeling them as a misuse of libel laws to threaten and muzzle journalists.
The NUJP maintained that Uytico’s professional conduct, which is at the heart of the legal dispute, involves matters of public interest that merit journalistic coverage and commentary.
They stressed that government officials like Uytico should be amenable to public scrutiny and ready to address any arising concerns or criticisms. “By filing these lawsuits, Director Uytico is not just attempting to quiet the press; he’s effectively denying the public’s right to information,” NUJP Iloilo stated.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, although not directly criticizing Uytico, showed support for the radio personalities, drawing from his own experiences with media criticism during his public service tenure. He emphasized that scrutiny from the media is part of a public servant’s life.
Mayor Treñas affirmed his solidarity with the RMN team, acknowledging criticism as part of their duty. “I firmly support the RMN commentators in their struggle against the accusations from the DepEd Regional Director,” he declared.
Uytico lodged four separate complaints on January 23 with the Office of the City Prosecutor against RMN anchors Novie Guazo, Regan Arlos, and Vincent Israel Dolido, also invoking violations of various laws including the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the Safe Spaces Act, and the Data Privacy Act.
The complaints stem from the broadcasters’ critical commentary on Uytico’s handling of regional educational issues, during which they allegedly used terms that Uytico claims “maligned, demeaned, and damaged my person, character, and honor,” highlighting slurs like ‘agi’ (gay), ‘tiko’ (crooked), and ‘gwapa-gwapa’ (pretending to be pretty), which he found highly offensive.
In response to the legal action, one of the accused, Guazo, expressed their readiness to defend their stance in court, as reported by Rappler on February 20.
Libel, under Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code, is an offense that entails a public and malicious imputation of a crime or defect that may harm someone’s reputation, with penalties including imprisonment or fines, along with potential civil liabilities.
It comes with a penalty of prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods, or a fine ranging from P40,000 to P1.2 million, or both, in addition to the civil action which may be brought by the offended party.
