RMN senior anchor indicted for libel
Commentaries made by a popular broadcast journalist in 2007 have now been found to be “out of context” thus with a clear public imputation.
As such, probable cause was established in a Libel charge that “definitely caused dishonor, discredit or contempt of the complainant.”
Docketed as Information Sheet (I.S.) No. 251-08, complainant was Dr. Evangeline C. Johnson and respondent, Rhoderick “Rod” Tecson of the Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) here.
Johnson in filing the Libel charge against Tecson decried commentaries made over radio program “Straight to the Point.” Initially, a total of four counts of Libel were filed yet the Iloilo City Prosecutors in resolving the complaint ruled that “there is only one crime of libel as the assumption is that the accused was animated by a single criminal impulse.”
In her defense, Johnson primarily belied Tecson’s insinuations of being “a devil like Lucifer.” This, as she asserted innocence behind a bribery attempt to silence Tecson.
Johnson also decried portrayal of her as “a person with loose morals by having several husbands,” and a conspirator “in defrauding patients and Philippine government of millions of pesos in what he called a “scam” and “modus operandi.”
“The first and vital issue to be resolved therefore is whether the utterances of the respondent were indeed libelous or not? The answer is in the affirmative. Respondent’s commentaries went out of context when respondent tagged complainant as “a person of loose morals,” if not “promiscuous,” “a devil,” “a cheat or deceitful person,” “a shameless person without honor.” This imputes upon the latter a vice or defect. The utterances the respondent has made over the radio has definitely already satisfied the requirement of public imputation. And such utterances definitely caused dishonor, discredit or contempt of the complainant,” excerpts of the 10-paged Resolution went.
City Prosecutor II Jeremy Bionat penned the Resolution and approved by City Prosecutor Peter Baliao. The Resolution was dated December 17, 2008 yet released only yesterday.
Bail is expected to be set at P10,000 for Tecson’s temporary liberty.