Category: Media

Mike Arroyo took the witness stand this morning in the hearing of the libel case he filed against Malaya Publisher Jake Macasaet and business editor Rosario Galang.

A reporter who was in the courtroom said, Arroyo, in a white barong, was arrogant as ever. In the course of the cross examination, Arroyo challenged Macasaet’s lawyer, Paul Arias , “Let’s settle this outside.”

Arias replied, “I’m willing to oblige you.”

This report by Reporters Without Borders came out last week and has been commented on in previous posts but i’m posting it here for the record and for future reference.

Philippines – Annual report 2007

Despite new arrests of murderers, the authorities failed to stem the wave of violence against journalists. At least six were killed in 2006. And the press also found itself facing a new enemy: José Miguel Arroyo, the husband of President Gloria Arroyo, who took out a raft of defamation suits.

While her husband was lodging “defamation” complaints against more than 40 journalists, President Arroyo said, on 18 November 2006, that her government was “respectful of press freedom, an institution of Philippines democracy”. On the same day, journalist Ellen Tordesillas, a stern critic of the government received an email warning her: “Your days are numbered”. Murders, assaults, arrests, abusive law suits and censorship were the hallmark of 2006 in this country.

Aftermath of the water-dousing incident last Dec. 8:

MANILA — Political activist Renato Constantino Jr. filed on Tuesday criminal charges against former Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Victor Agustin for “grave slander by deed and maltreatment by deed” after the two figured in an altercation during a media conference last month.

Describing Agustin’s act as “analogous to being slapped in public by a woman,” Constantino sought P5 million in damages from Agustin who doused him with cold water after the activist berated members of Congress holding a press conference on Charter change.

Agustin, who was suspended by the Inquirer for one month due to the incident, could not be reached for comment.

Last Monday, Jose Miguel Arroyo, through his lawyer, asked the Makati Trial Court to dismiss the class suit we (more than 35 journalists he charged with libel plus more than 30 co-petitioners) filed against him describing it as as “plain political harassment”.

Arroyo’s lead counsel Ruy Alberto Rondain said the suit “is not even a class suit and is only a move by the plaintiffs to vindicate personal and individual interests, albeit imagined.”

Arroyo’s spokesman Jesus Santos said the case is defective in nature and should be dismissed.

Some 60 journalists and concerned citizens , including yours truly, yesterday filed a civil class suit (click here) against Mike Arroyo before the Makati Regional Trial Court.

In the suit, we contend that Mike Arroyo, spouse of President Gloria Arroyo, is both a public figure and a public officer.

Update Jan. 09, 2007: Mike Arroyo asks court to dismiss class suit.

We said that the libel suits he has filed against 45 journalists is a “clear abuse of right and an obvious effort to obstruct, defeat, and/or violate the Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights “ and obviously intended “to stifle and/or chill the exercise of freedom of the press, thereby causing them grave injury and tremendous amount of money”.