MANILA, Philippines – Sinita ni Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte si ML Party-list Representative Leila de Lima sa batikos nito sa kanyang hakbang na magsampa ng libel at cyber libel charges laban sa GMA Network Inc. at iba pang mamamahayag.
Ani Duterte, ang bawat mamamayan ay may karapatan sa proteksyon sa ilalim ng batas.
“De Lima, as a lawyer and former human rights advocate, you know that every person has the right to protect themselves from any accusation. Filing a case through the legal process is not an attack on the freedom of speech, but a right that every citizen has,” sinabi ni Duterte.
Nitong Biyernes, naghain si Duterte ng libel at cyber libel complaint laban kay National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag at dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. kaugnay sa mga alegasyon nito ng cash delivery sa kanyang pamilya.
Kabilang din sa mga inireklamo ni Duterte ang Executives at journalists ng GMA Network.
Ilang oras matapos ang paghahain ng reklamo, nag-isyu naman ng pahayag si De Lima at sinabing layunin ng reklamo na maghasik ng takot sa mga media practitioner.
“This is clearly an attempt to silence journalists and truth-seekers, depriving them of their freedom of the press. Filing a libel case against a media network and its journalists for doing their job of reporting allegations of corruption sends a chilling message to other media practitioners,” pahayag ni De Lima.
Sa kabila nito, iginiit ni Duterte na ang press freedom ay may limitasyon kung lumalabag na ito sa karapatan ng iba.
“Freedom of the press is important for democracy, but it comes with the responsibility to ensure the safety of those who report and give opportunities to the other side to respond. Reporting an allegation and proving it to be true are two different things,” sinabi ni Duterte.
“A person’s right should not be defended at the expense of their own safety, which can be used as a pretext to silence the media. In the same way, freedom of speech should not be used to silence others who are asking for justice,” dagdag pa ni Duterte.
Dahil dito ay nanawagan si Duterte ng patas, at evidence-based process para sa mga alegasyon sa halip na prejudiced judgment.
“Just stay in Congress, be cute, smile, smile,” pagtatapos ni Duterte para kay De Lima. RNT/JGC
