A non-profit archive of Cebu media history · Since 2004

Surviving libel, other complaints

In brief

How Cebu journalists face libel and other complaints, including the Supreme Court decision that overturned broadcaster Leo Lastimosa’s libel conviction, government legal aid for journalists, and the handcuffing of journalists arrested for libel.

Handcuffing journalists arrested for libel: How else must media be treated?

Pachico A. Seares

Gov’t. will give legal aid to journalists but they have to qualify as indigent and apply. Not as tough as you may think.

Ian Vincent Manticajon

Suing, being sued for libel. Six articles: [1] Journalists sued for libel generally don’t sue back but they can [2] When politicians sue for libel but spare journalists [3] Politician Tomas Osmeña and Eddie Gullas go to court against ‘libelers’ during election campaign [4] Richard Yap vs. Niña Mabatid, another election battle that spilled over to the court, in Taguig City, not in Cebu City [5] What libel case can send a radio commentator to jail; why many complaints against broadcasters in the past failed, which may change because it’s now easier to sue under cyber-libel [6] Dumaguete City broadcasters went to court: why as a rule journalists don’t sue one another

Pachico A. Seares

3 ‘blockbuster’ libel cases. A September 2013 column about three separate major libel cases involving broadcasters Leo Lastimosa and Choy Torralba and the news media outlet SunStar. The first was an RTC decision convicting Lastimosa, which the Supreme Court would reverse a decade later, in 2023. The other two were decisions of the Supreme Court (a) throwing out the conviction of Choy Torralba by the Tagbilaran City RTC for libeling a dead judge and (b) dismissing the appeal of Cebu RTC Judge Martin Ocampo from another RTC judge’s ruling that cleared Sun.Star of Ocampo’s charge of libel (Judge Ocampo died while the case was still pending but the SC went ahead with the ruling).

Frank Malilong

Supreme Court ‘defamed’ Cebu’s Vicente Sotto in punishing him for contempt

Pachico A. Seares

Gwen Garcia vs. Leo Lastimosa (4 articles)

Pachico A. Seares

Tomas Osmeña vs. Bobby Nalzaro (6 articles)

Pachico A. Seares