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UPDATE - PHILIPPINES
21 June 2007
Journalist jailed in defamation case; libel laws "outdated, excessive and
unreasonable," says IFJ
SOURCE: International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Brussels
**Updates IFEX alert on the Tesorio case of 16 May 2005; for further
information on the Adonis case, see alerts of 7 and 2 April 2007; for the
Alegre case, see alert of 19 April 2007**
(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is an IFJ media release:
The Philippines libel laws "outdated, excessive and unreasonable", says IFJ
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has renewed its calls for
the Philippines government to decriminalise libel, after another journalist
was jailed for defamation in a lawsuit issued by a former congressman.
According to IFJ affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the
Philippines (NUJP), Jofelle Tesorio, former correspondent of the Philippine
Daily Inquirer and editor of Bandillo ng Palawan, and now with the
Bangkok-based Asia News Network, is currently being held in Camp Karingal
in Quezon City, after posting a bail sum of 20,000 pesos (approximately USD
440) on June 21. As of this writing, the judge has yet to sign her release
paper.
Tesorio was convicted for publishing a series of articles dating back to
2003 relating to former Palawan congressman Vicente Sandoval Sr., the NUJP
reports.
"The libel laws in the Philippines are outdated, excessive and
unreasonable, and they are too often abused by those with power to silence
journalists," IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.
"No journalist should be jailed for doing their job, and the IFJ again
calls for an overhaul of libel laws in the Philippines to remove defamation
from the criminal code," Park said.
In April this year, radio journalist Alex "Lex" Adonis was jailed for four
years for libel after revealing an affair involving Davao congressman
Prospero Nograles. This was followed by the detention of Jun Alegre, a
radio reporter in Legazpi City, because of a 10-year old libel case.
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 115 countries.
For further information, contact the IFJ Asia-Pacific, tel: +61 2 9333
0919; or the IFJ, International Press Centre, Residence Palace, Block C,
155 Rue de la Loi, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium, tel: +322 235 2200 / 2207,
fax: +322 235 2219, e-mail: rachel.cohen@ifj.org, Internet:
http://www.ifj.org/
The information contained in this update is the sole responsibility of IFJ.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit IFJ.
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