Tulfo, 4 tabloid execs get jail term for libel

A columnist and four officials of a tabloid daily were sentenced to a maximum four years imprisonment by a Pasay City regional trial court judge who found them guilty of libel yesterday morning.

Convicted of four counts of libel by Judge Manuel Dumatol were broadcast journalist Erwin Tulfo, a former columnist of tabloid Remate; and the paper’s Rey Salao, city editor; managing editor Susan Combri: national editor Jocelyn Barlizo and publisher Philip Pichay.

Dumatol ordered the five to each pay complainant Carlos So, an official of the Bureau of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service based at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport P2.3 million in damages.

The five tabloid men were slapped with a P10 million libel suit by So for accusing him of extortion, corruption and involvement in smuggling activities in a series of articles authored by Tulfo which came out in his column "Direct Hit" on May 11, 12, 19 and June 25, 1999.

In his complaint, So said the series of allegedly libelous and malicious articles destroyed his reputation, discredited and ridiculed him before the bar of public opinion.

"He (Tulfo) crossed the thin but clear line that separated fair comment from actionable defamation," the judge ruled.

Tulfo’s lawyer, Oliver Lozano, said he filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals contesting Dumatol’s decision.

Lozano said the decision was "contrary to law and evidence" since the identity of So was not clearly established during the trial. "Identification is one of the elements of libel," Lozano said. – Rainier Allan Ronda