Kiko Pangilinan files cyber libel raps vs YouTuber, Google over malicious videos
MANILA, Philippines — Former senator and vice presidential aspirant Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday filed cyber libel charges against an individual over alleged defamatory videos.
In an 11-page complaint filed before the Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime, Pangilinan said that the owner of the YouTube channel “Bungangera TV” had posted libelous videos on the video platform that involved his family.
“The videos authored and posted by Bungangera TV created in the minds of viewers that I am a husband who physically abuses his wife and children,” the complaint read.
Pangilinan filed charges of libel under the Revised Penal Code (RPC). He also lodged the libel charge under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, offenses penalized under the Revised Penal Code would incur a penalty one degree higher.
As of writing, the respondent's YouTube channel has 79,000 subscribers and 435 videos.
According to Pangilinan’s complaint, the videos contain malicious titles that mention Pangilinan having relations with a certain celebrity and having allegedly committed sexual assault.
“The titles, thumbnails, and all other contents of the videos pertaining to me and my family are all false, have no factual basis and are intended to destroy or damage my reputation as a public servant, and a husband to one of the most beloved celebrities in the Philippines, Sharon Cuneta- Pangilinan,” the complaint read.
“More importantly, the libelous videos are meant to destroy my family. The libelous videos are not only intended to damage my relationship with my wife but also meant to destroy my relationship with our children,” it added.
The former senator also filed cybercrime charges against “authorized representatives, officers and/or directors of Google/YouTube Philippines” for “aiding and abetting” the commission of a cybercrime.
He also asked the DOJ to compel the firms to preserve computer data concerning the malicious videos to be collected and preserved as evidence.
In a statement, the Liberal Party, through its spokesperson, former Sen. Leila de Lima, expressed their support for Pangilinan saying that malicious content on social media contribute to the regression of public discourse and the spread of misinformation.
“Naninindigan kami sa kalayaan ng bawat isa na magpahayag ng opinyon, pero naniniwala rin kami na may kaakibat itong responsibilidad, lalo na sa kasalukuyang klimang pampolitika,” the party said.
(We stand for everyone's freedom to express their opinions, but we also believe that this comes with responsibility, especially in the current political climate.)
“The Philippines needs a healthy space for open discussion, but not one that allows for the spread of falsehoods and malicious attacks,” it added.
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