SC upholds libel conviction of Bro. Eli Soriano

MANILA, Philippines —The Supreme Court’s First Division affirmed the libel conviction against Ang Dating Daan leader Eliseo “Brother Eli” Soriano over his remarks against another religious leader in his radio show in 1998.

In an 11-page decision released last week, the SC division upheld the Court of Appeals' May 2016 ruling that affirmed a trial court’s conviction of Soriano.

The case was filed by televangelist and Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry head Wilde Almeda over Soriano’s remark against him in his radio program “Ang Dating Daan.”

Soriano called Almeda a “false prophet,” “idiot” and “apostle of demons” in his radio program.

The Iriga City Regional Trial Court, in 2012, convicted Soriano of libel. The Court of Appeals in 2015 also affirmed the ruling.

'Insults are not religious speech'

The SC’s division last November dismissed Soriano’s petition for certiorari due to lack of merit.

It said that elements of libel—identification, publication, defamatory imputation and malice—under Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code were all present in Soriano’s remarks against Almeda in 1998.

It did not give weight to Soriano’s defense that his statements were protected by the 1987 Constitution under religious freedom. Citing jurisprudence, the SC quoted: “Plain and simple insults directed at another person cannot be elevated to the status of religious speech.”

The SC, however, reversed the lower court’s libel conviction over Soriano’s statements against JMCIM or any of its pastors.

“We note that aside from mentioning Almeda’s name, petitioner’s statements did not refer to any specific pastor or member of the JMCIM,” the ruling read in part.

"Contrary to the findings of the lower courts, we did not find anything in the records which establish or single out any specific pastor, specifically Joel Cortero. Neither can we consider petitioner's statements, be sweeping enough as to injure the reputation of all the members of JMCIM," the tribunal said.

Associate Justice Noel Tijam penned the decision that was concurred with by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, Associate Justices Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Alexander Gesmundo.