Jailed journalists can choose to pay fine over jail

Journalists languishing in jail after being convicted of libel can still file a manifestation to pay a higher fine instead of continued imprisonment, the Supreme Court said.

Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez cited the manifestation made by human rights lawyer Harry Roque in pointing out a recent high court circular recommending the imposition of fines on erring journalists convicted of libel instead of serving time in prison. 

Roque in particular cited the case of jailed radio broadcaster Alex Adonis.

“In his (Adonis) case, he was charged a second time precisely to keep him in jail,” Roque said.

Adonis, a broadcaster of radio station dxMF Bombo Radyo, was sentenced last year to five years and six months in prison stemming from the complaint of Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles in 2001.

Nograles claimed he was identified by Adonis as the congressman who was allegedly seen running naked inside a hotel in Manila shortly after the husband of the woman he was having an affair with caught them in bed. The Davao lawmaker denied the allegation.

Adonis failed to defend himself in court and was sentenced in absentia. He was arrested on February last year by the police in a public market in Davao City on his way to visit his mother.

Adonis claimed his inability to afford a lawyer forced him to go into hiding. – Mike Frialde