MANILA, Philippines — Veteran journalist Philip Lustre Jr. was released on bail on Saturday night after a Davao City court issued a warrant for his arrest for cyberlibel.
His lawyer, Dino de Leon, confirmed Lustre’s release after a day of legal proceedings following the 72-year-old journalist’s arrest in Quezon City.
Lustre said his friends in the media pooled P50,000 for his bail, exceeding the required P48,000.
Broadcast journalist Ariel Ayala led the fundraising effort, Lustre said in a social media post thanking those who helped secure his release.
Lustre was arrested on Saturday after attending a news forum in a restaurant in Quezon City.
Police served Lustre a warrant issued by a Davao City court on Oct. 2.
Lustre said he was not aware of the pending cyberlibel case and questioned the circumstances surrounding his arrest, alleging procedural lapses.
He said the complaint that he received did not identify the complainant and that he had not seen a separate information sheet containing further details of the case.
Lustre, a critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte, wrote the book “Kill Kill Kill,” which examines the war on drugs.