Pasay prosecutor recommends cyber-libel case vs blogger Nieto

MANILA, Philippines — The Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office has approved the libel case filed by Sen. Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV against pro-Duterte blogger Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto.

Trillanes in November last year filed the complaint against Nieto for alleging in a Facebook post that US President Donald Trump referred to the lawmaker as a "narco" or drug lord. Trillanes is a fierce critic of President Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs.

In a resolution dated January 16, the prosecutor’s office indicted Nieto—who maintains a Facebook blog called “Thinking Pinoy” with more than 1.2 million followers—for cyber-libel for his “false and baseless defamatory imputation” against Trillanes.

Nieto did not file a counter-affidavit during the preliminary investigation of the case, the Pasay prosecutor noted.

“It is true that a public official, more especially an elected one, should not be onion skinned,” the resolution read in part. “However, this should not be an excuse for anyone to make baseless lies and make up stories against any public official, especially so when there is no good intention or justifiable motive for doing so.”

In a Facebook post, the pro-administration blogger said he has not received a copy of the complaint “until recently.”

“You see, I cannot possibly reply to a complaint that I have no copy of,” he said. “Most likely, a motion for reconsideration based on the lack of notice shall be filed, though I leave it to my lawyers to decide the best course of action.”

Trillanes said in a statement Saturday that Nieto’s indictment serves as a “warning” to other pro-Duterte bloggers to stop “peddling lies.”

“Their activities reflect the kind of administration that they support. Sooner or later, they will all be accountable for their actions,” the senator said.

In his complaint, Trillanes said Nieto's claim was "fake news"—a term now used for lies and propaganda made to look like legitimate news articles.

Aside from the criminal penalties, Trillanes also wants Nieto to pay P1 million in moral damages and another P1 million in exemplary damages. He likewise wants Nieto to pay P250,000 in attorney's fees. 

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines earlier called Nieto a “barefaced liar” for “endangering” a Filipino photojournalist’s life "on unfounded reasons." — Ian Nicolas Cigaral