PALOMPON, LEYTE – The Department of Justice (DOJ) through the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Province of Leyte, Palompon Sub-Office has recommended the dismissal of a libel case filed by dismissed Palompon Mayor Ramon Oñate against a journalist and the publisher of Krusada Balita News.

In a decision of the said office promulgated on November 18, 2024, the said libel case filed against respondents John Kevin Pilapil and Atty, Adelito Solibaga, Jr., writer and publisher, respectively, is being dismissed for lack of prima facie evidence in order to convict respondents for the crime of libel, after the office’s careful evaluation of the pieces of evidence appearing on the records. The resolution stated that the case for libel filed by Oñate against Pilapil and Solibaga, Jr. arose following the alleged posting and publishing of a malicious article against the complainant in the Krusada Balita News newspaper dated July 28-August 3, 2024. It further stated that Oñate alleged that he was maliciously maligned and defamed by said respondents on the abovementioned date because of the headline of the newspaper that stated in the vernacular, “Liboan ka tao sa Leyte mangamatay! Oñate kasohan sa DENR!”

According to the complainant, the article allegedly ascribed to him as the reason for the flooding in Barangay Tabunok, because of his alleged illegal acts in the Palompon watershed, that he allowed DBSN employees to illegally construct their houses in Barangay San Joaquin. Oñate was also alleged to have claimed ownership over a forest land. Moreover, the complainant also allegedly caused the dumping of poultry farm wastes to the Palompon Watershed Forest Reserve (PWFR) in Palompon and dumped and buried Yolanda Relief goods. Lastly, complainant was claimed to have caused the contamination of the water.

However, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, from the records, is convinced that the questioned headline and article of the Krusada Balita News are not malicious. It explained that headlines are usually intended to be catchy and interesting to entice readers to pick up the publication and does not necessarily reflect the content of the article itself, and that a cursory reading of the article in its entirety revealed that it was not based on the personal opinion of the author but based on witness accounts, documents and investigations which are all on record. Per the resolution, “it is clear from the article that the author only quoted the statements of witnesses and resource persons the respondents interviewed.”  

The resolution further stated that the office is cognizant that several investigations by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), law enforcement agencies, and even the House of Representatives were conducted relative to the alleged environmental violations of the poultry breeding farm owned by complainant. The said office is accordingly likewise aware that a trial court issued a search warrant on the eco-park located in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon, Leyte for alleged toxic wastes buried thereat.

For these reasons, the said office is convinced that the questioned headline and article of respondents were based on fair commentaries and not intended to defame or malign complainant, and that complainant may have been aggrieved and offended by the article but words that are merely insulting are not actionable by slander or libel per se, in a case the Supreme Court held.

In an interview with the writer, Pilapil, he shared that this is the second libel case dismissed by the said office filed by Oñate against them. To recall, he said, in 2023, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor also dismissed a libel case filed by Oñate against Atty. Solibaga, Pilapil, and Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez, pertaining to the same print media outlet, which contained the headline, “Oñate Numero 1 nga Environmental Violator sa Leyte.” By Gwen Maurillo PALOMPON, LEYTE – The Department of Justice (DOJ) through the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Province of Leyte, Palompon Sub-Office has recommended the dismissal of a libel case filed by dismissed Palompon Mayor Ramon Oñate against a journalist and the publisher of Krusada Balita News.

In a decision of the said office promulgated on November 18, 2024, the said libel case filed against respondents John Kevin Pilapil and Atty, Adelito Solibaga, Jr., writer and publisher, respectively, is being dismissed for lack of prima facie evidence in order to convict respondents for the crime of libel, after the office’s careful evaluation of the pieces of evidence appearing on the records. The resolution stated that the case for libel filed by Oñate against Pilapil and Solibaga, Jr. arose following the alleged posting and publishing of a malicious article against the complainant in the Krusada Balita News newspaper dated July 28-August 3, 2024. It further stated that Oñate alleged that he was maliciously maligned and defamed by said respondents on the abovementioned date because of the headline of the newspaper that stated in the vernacular, “Liboan ka tao sa Leyte mangamatay! Oñate kasohan sa DENR!”

According to the complainant, the article allegedly ascribed to him as the reason for the flooding in Barangay Tabunok, because of his alleged illegal acts in the Palompon watershed, that he allowed DBSN employees to illegally construct their houses in Barangay San Joaquin. Oñate was also alleged to have claimed ownership over a forest land. Moreover, the complainant also allegedly caused the dumping of poultry farm wastes to the Palompon Watershed Forest Reserve (PWFR) in Palompon and dumped and buried Yolanda Relief goods. Lastly, complainant was claimed to have caused the contamination of the water.

However, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, from the records, is convinced that the questioned headline and article of the Krusada Balita News are not malicious. It explained that headlines are usually intended to be catchy and interesting to entice readers to pick up the publication and does not necessarily reflect the content of the article itself, and that a cursory reading of the article in its entirety revealed that it was not based on the personal opinion of the author but based on witness accounts, documents and investigations which are all on record. Per the resolution, “it is clear from the article that the author only quoted the statements of witnesses and resource persons the respondents interviewed.”  

The resolution further stated that the office is cognizant that several investigations by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), law enforcement agencies, and even the House of Representatives were conducted relative to the alleged environmental violations of the poultry breeding farm owned by complainant. The said office is accordingly likewise aware that a trial court issued a search warrant on the eco-park located in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon, Leyte for alleged toxic wastes buried thereat.

For these reasons, the said office is convinced that the questioned headline and article of respondents were based on fair commentaries and not intended to defame or malign complainant, and that complainant may have been aggrieved and offended by the article but words that are merely insulting are not actionable by slander or libel per se, in a case the Supreme Court held.

In an interview with the writer, Pilapil, he shared that this is the second libel case dismissed by the said office filed by Oñate against them. To recall, he said, in 2023, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor also dismissed a libel case filed by Oñate against Atty. Solibaga, Pilapil, and Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez, pertaining to the same print media outlet, which contained the headline, “Oñate Numero 1 nga Environmental Violator sa Leyte.” By Gwen Maurillo PALOMPON, LEYTE – The Department of Justice (DOJ) through the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Province of Leyte, Palompon Sub-Office has recommended the dismissal of a libel case filed by dismissed Palompon Mayor Ramon Oñate against a journalist and the publisher of Krusada Balita News.

In a decision of the said office promulgated on November 18, 2024, the said libel case filed against respondents John Kevin Pilapil and Atty, Adelito Solibaga, Jr., writer and publisher, respectively, is being dismissed for lack of prima facie evidence in order to convict respondents for the crime of libel, after the office’s careful evaluation of the pieces of evidence appearing on the records. The resolution stated that the case for libel filed by Oñate against Pilapil and Solibaga, Jr. arose following the alleged posting and publishing of a malicious article against the complainant in the Krusada Balita News newspaper dated July 28-August 3, 2024. It further stated that Oñate alleged that he was maliciously maligned and defamed by said respondents on the abovementioned date because of the headline of the newspaper that stated in the vernacular, “Liboan ka tao sa Leyte mangamatay! Oñate kasohan sa DENR!”

According to the complainant, the article allegedly ascribed to him as the reason for the flooding in Barangay Tabunok, because of his alleged illegal acts in the Palompon watershed, that he allowed DBSN employees to illegally construct their houses in Barangay San Joaquin. Oñate was also alleged to have claimed ownership over a forest land. Moreover, the complainant also allegedly caused the dumping of poultry farm wastes to the Palompon Watershed Forest Reserve (PWFR) in Palompon and dumped and buried Yolanda Relief goods. Lastly, complainant was claimed to have caused the contamination of the water.

However, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, from the records, is convinced that the questioned headline and article of the Krusada Balita News are not malicious. It explained that headlines are usually intended to be catchy and interesting to entice readers to pick up the publication and does not necessarily reflect the content of the article itself, and that a cursory reading of the article in its entirety revealed that it was not based on the personal opinion of the author but based on witness accounts, documents and investigations which are all on record. Per the resolution, “it is clear from the article that the author only quoted the statements of witnesses and resource persons the respondents interviewed.”  

The resolution further stated that the office is cognizant that several investigations by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), law enforcement agencies, and even the House of Representatives were conducted relative to the alleged environmental violations of the poultry breeding farm owned by complainant. The said office is accordingly likewise aware that a trial court issued a search warrant on the eco-park located in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon, Leyte for alleged toxic wastes buried thereat.

For these reasons, the said office is convinced that the questioned headline and article of respondents were based on fair commentaries and not intended to defame or malign complainant, and that complainant may have been aggrieved and offended by the article but words that are merely insulting are not actionable by slander or libel per se, in a case the Supreme Court held.

In an interview with the writer, Pilapil, he shared that this is the second libel case dismissed by the said office filed by Oñate against them. To recall, he said, in 2023, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor also dismissed a libel case filed by Oñate against Atty. Solibaga, Pilapil, and Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez, pertaining to the same print media outlet, which contained the headline, “Oñate Numero 1 nga Environmental Violator sa Leyte.” By Gwen Maurillo PALOMPON, LEYTE – The Department of Justice (DOJ) through the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Province of Leyte, Palompon Sub-Office has recommended the dismissal of a libel case filed by dismissed Palompon Mayor Ramon Oñate against a journalist and the publisher of Krusada Balita News.

In a decision of the said office promulgated on November 18, 2024, the said libel case filed against respondents John Kevin Pilapil and Atty, Adelito Solibaga, Jr., writer and publisher, respectively, is being dismissed for lack of prima facie evidence in order to convict respondents for the crime of libel, after the office’s careful evaluation of the pieces of evidence appearing on the records. The resolution stated that the case for libel filed by Oñate against Pilapil and Solibaga, Jr. arose following the alleged posting and publishing of a malicious article against the complainant in the Krusada Balita News newspaper dated July 28-August 3, 2024. It further stated that Oñate alleged that he was maliciously maligned and defamed by said respondents on the abovementioned date because of the headline of the newspaper that stated in the vernacular, “Liboan ka tao sa Leyte mangamatay! Oñate kasohan sa DENR!”

According to the complainant, the article allegedly ascribed to him as the reason for the flooding in Barangay Tabunok, because of his alleged illegal acts in the Palompon watershed, that he allowed DBSN employees to illegally construct their houses in Barangay San Joaquin. Oñate was also alleged to have claimed ownership over a forest land. Moreover, the complainant also allegedly caused the dumping of poultry farm wastes to the Palompon Watershed Forest Reserve (PWFR) in Palompon and dumped and buried Yolanda Relief goods. Lastly, complainant was claimed to have caused the contamination of the water.

However, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, from the records, is convinced that the questioned headline and article of the Krusada Balita News are not malicious. It explained that headlines are usually intended to be catchy and interesting to entice readers to pick up the publication and does not necessarily reflect the content of the article itself, and that a cursory reading of the article in its entirety revealed that it was not based on the personal opinion of the author but based on witness accounts, documents and investigations which are all on record. Per the resolution, “it is clear from the article that the author only quoted the statements of witnesses and resource persons the respondents interviewed.”  

The resolution further stated that the office is cognizant that several investigations by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), law enforcement agencies, and even the House of Representatives were conducted relative to the alleged environmental violations of the poultry breeding farm owned by complainant. The said office is accordingly likewise aware that a trial court issued a search warrant on the eco-park located in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon, Leyte for alleged toxic wastes buried thereat.

For these reasons, the said office is convinced that the questioned headline and article of respondents were based on fair commentaries and not intended to defame or malign complainant, and that complainant may have been aggrieved and offended by the article but words that are merely insulting are not actionable by slander or libel per se, in a case the Supreme Court held.

In an interview with the writer, Pilapil, he shared that this is the second libel case dismissed by the said office filed by Oñate against them. To recall, he said, in 2023, the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor also dismissed a libel case filed by Oñate against Atty. Solibaga, Pilapil, and Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez, pertaining to the same print media outlet, which contained the headline, “Oñate Numero 1 nga Environmental Violator sa Leyte.” (By Gwen Maurillo / EV Mail JAN. 6-12, 2025 issue)