Woman indicted for libel over FB post vs doctor

CEBU, Philippines - A woman was indicted before the court for her alleged libelous Facebook post agaisnt a doctor of Chong Hua Hospital who allegedly reprimanded her and a friend for being noisy.

Leah Antonette Futalan was held by Cebu City Prosecutor Leah Cruz for trial after finding probable cause for libel charges filed against her.

Futalan was sued by Ma. Eva Villegas-Lim, an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyne) and a sonologist of the trans-vaginal section of the Special Imaging Unit in Chong Hua Hospital.

Lim said Futalan destroyed her reputation when the latter, in her Facebook post, described her as rude, ill-bred and uneducated.

On October 18, 2014, Futalan accompanied her friend Alexine Dy to the said hospital for an ultrasound checkup.

While waiting for results of the ultrasound, they were allegedly scolded by Lim for being noisy.

The following day, Lim was at the Cebu Ultrasound and Perinatal Services Inc. when a colleague, who is also an ob-gyne and sinologist, asked her what happened at Chong Hua Hospital the previous day.

That same colleague of Lim was apparently informed by another friend who is also a doctor that she saw the Facebook post of Futalan, who was the latter’s niece.

“Today while waiting for an ultrasound result, a certain doctor shouted and scolded us for being “noisy”… she could’ve asked us nicely to shut our mouths but her manner and approach manifests how ill-bred she was. I am beyond dismay and still shocked at how haughty this individual was. I have never met a physician as RUDE as Dr. M.E.A.V.-L from CHH! For her sake, I hope our paths will never cross again! Gamahal2x lang ng Chong Hua, unya ilang doctor walay breeding! “Edukada”?.. oh please... don’t talk to me about education!,” Futalan’s post read in toto.

Futalan also reportedly posted Lim’s photos in the comment section of her post.

In her resolution, Cruz said there was a “malicious imputation” publicly made by Futalan through electronic means via her Facebook account.

“Although respondent did not spell out complainant’s name, the latter could still be identified because her initials and picture were posted in said account. In fact, a third person, in this case respondent’s aunt, was able to identify complainant after reading respondent’s post,” the prosecutor said.

Futalan did not submit a counter-affidavit despite being summoned.

Cruz then resolved to elevate Futalan’s case to the court for trial. She recommended P10,000 bail for the woman’s temporary liberty. — (FREEMAN)