Libel raps vs 2 GMA News execs dismissed

MANILA, Philippines - The prosecutor’s office of Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro has dismissed a libel complaint filed by a doctor of the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital against two executives of GMA News due to insufficient evidence.

Dr. Idol Bondoc filed the complaint against GMA News Online editor-in-chief Howie Severino, GMA News research head Florian Balmes, and his colleague, Dr. Rosinico Fabor, on Sept. 5, 2011 after Fabor posted allegedly defamatory remarks on the comments section of a GMA News Online website article on an Ombudsman’s decision on a previous administrative case involving Bondoc.

Bondoc alleged that GMA News Online served as a vehicle for Fabon to destroy his reputation as a medical professional, and that he was not given equal opportunity to air his side of the story.

In a recent resolution, Deputy City Prosecutor Gabriel Alberto said the comments made by the readers of GMA News Online were not edited or subjected to prior approval before posting.

Considering that neither Severino nor Balmes had the power to edit or approve comments on the website, and considering further that sufficient guidelines on proper posting of comments were available on the website, Alberto said they should not be held liable for any reactions sent by the readers.

Alberto, however, found probable cause to charge Fabon with libel and recommended the filing of the corresponding information in court.