Category Archives: Libel

One-Year Prescriptive Period for Online Libel: House Bill No. 7010

[Full text of House Bill No. 7010, proposing a one-year prescriptive period for online libel, as defined under Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012). Incidentally, this prescriptive period of libel is one of the issues in the criminal case against Maria Ressa and Rappler (see Decision). Perhaps Congress should instead discuss the proposal to DECRIMINALIZE libel.]

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Decision in People vs. Reynaldo Santos, Jr., Maria Angelita Ressa and Rappler, re Online Libel (Full Text)

[Full text of the trial court’s Decision dated 15 June 2020 in People of the Philippines vs. Reynaldo Santos, Jr., Maria Angelita Ressa, and Rappler, Inc., Criminal Case No. R-MNL-19-01141-CR, for online libel under Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Citations have been omitted.]

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Online Libel as Cybercrime in the Philippines: Definition, Requisites and Application of Penalties

The crime of libel in the Philippines is defined and penalized under Article 353 (“Definition of Libel”), in relation to Article 355 (“Libel by means of writings or similar means”) of the Revised Penal Code (“RPC”). There was a debate whether the required “publication” in libel encompasses the internet, which was not yet in existence when the RPC was enacted. This debate has been laid to rest, with the enactment of Republic Act (“R.A.”) No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. This article discusses the definition, elements/requisites and applicable penalties for online libel. 

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