Libel vs Yap et al ibinasura (Dahil sa maling hurisdiksiyon)

IBINASURA ng Manila RTC Branch 55 ang libel case na inihain ni Insp. Rosalino P. Ibay Jr. laban kina Jerry Yap, publisher; Gloria Galuno, managing editor; at Edwin Alcala, circulation manager, pawang ng Hataw tabloid, bunsod ng maling hurisdiksiyon.

Ayon sa desisyon ni Judge Josefina E. Siscar, ang offended party na si Ibay Jr. ay public officer na nakatalaga sa Camp Crame, Quezon City kaya ang mga korte ng lungsod ng Maynila ay walang hurisdiksiyon sa kaso.

Ipinunto ni Judge Siscar, ang rule no. 1 ng Rules on Venue sa Article 360 ng Revised Penal Code, nakasaad na “Whether the offended party is a public official or a private person, the criminal action may be filed in the Court of First Intance of the province or city where the libelous article is printed and first published.”

Ipinunto rin niya ang rule no. 4, nakasaad na “If the offended party is a public officer holding office outside of Manila, the action may be filed in the Court of First Instance of the province or city where he held office at the time of the commission of the offense.”

“A careful study of the allegations in the original and amended information reveal that the former did not allege that the alleged libelous articles were printed and first published in the City of Manila and such defect was the one cured by the prosecution in the latter. Likewise, there is no allegation in the information that the offended party who is a public officer holds office in Manila. Thus, the amendments of the information to vest jurisdiction upon the court cannot be allowed,” pahayag ng hukom.