Ombuds clears teacher of libel

CEBU, Philippines - A female public school teacher in Daanbantayan was cleared of the criminal complaint filed by a retired police official who took offense of her comment posted on Facebook.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has dismissed the libel case against Rosellyn Caballa for lack of merit.

Caballa, teacher at Maya National High School, was accused by retired police official Hiram Benatiro of libel because of her comment on Facebook, a social networking site, where the latter was the subject of a conversation.

Benatiro alleged that on May 12, 2011 Caballa had a conversation with a certain Inday Likoy, Alcontra and Sekreto Lang on Facebook wherein his personality was the subject.

According to Benatiro, the respondent’s comments were done with “sarcasm, insult and ridicule, sufficient to tarnish his good image, reputation and good standing.”

“Inday Likoy they are also corrupt just like the land of the Caballas which was mortgaged to Heram which they would like to redeem but could not redeem anymore because Heram has already a title of ownership over the lot so the Caballas can no longer recover…what a pity…taking advantage… hahaha,” Benatiro quoted Caballa’s supposed comment on Facebook.

Benatiro claimed that the respondent was insinuating that he is a “land grabber and a forger of public document.”

But graft investigator Corazon Carillo-Arnado found the complaint wanting of evidence. Arnado said there was nothing in the conversation that constitutes libel.

“A careful examination of the excerpts of the conversation made by the respondent on Facebook online social networking reveals that the statements she wrote are not libelous. She only talked about a mortgaged lot which could no longer be redeemed,” the anti-graft resolution reads.

The anti-graft body also ruled that the respondent’s statement “we don’t have anything to do with them” proves that she has no intention to attack the complainant.

 “We understand the predicament of the complainant, however, respondent is not the author of the libelous remarks,” the resolution added. (FREEMAN)