Veteran journalist Philip Lustre posts bail on cyberlibel raps

MANILA, Philippines — Veteran Journalist Philip Lustre has secured provisional liberty after posting bail on cyberlibel charges filed against him.

Lustre, 72, has posted bail amounting to P48,000 and was released on Saturday, October 24.

He was arrested on Saturday while attending a news forum based on a warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 10, in Davao City.

According to Lustre’s lawyer, Dino de Leon, the veteran journalist was unaware of the complaint before his arrest.

“Per Mr. Lustre, he is unaware of any pending criminal charge or preliminary investigation against him prior to this arrest. As of writing, we still do not know the specific particulars of the case nor the identity of the complainant as the arrest happened on a weekend when the court that supposedly issued the warrant is closed,” De Leon said in a statement.

“In any event, we are looking at what appears to be a deprivation of Mr. Lustre’s right to due process at the preliminary investigation stage where no subpoena or notice was ever served on or received by him. In other words, he was not even given the chance to ventilate his defenses or air his side prior to the issuance of the warrant of arrest,” he added.

De Leon also pointed out that the arrest warrant listed an incorrect address: the Media Resource Plaza Building along Mola and Pasong Tirad Streets in Makati City, rather than Lustre's actual residence. 

Lustre is the author of the book “Kill, kill, kill,” which tackled extrajudicial killings in the country.

In a separate statement, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) expressed concern over Lustre's October 24 arrest, urging authorities to respect his constitutional rights and grant him immediate access to legal counsel and medical care. 

“PTFOMS takes serious note of concerns raised by media organizations that libel and cyberlibel laws have been weaponized to target critical voices, intimidate journalists, and discourage reporting on matters of public interest. These concerns call for careful review and effective safeguards against the abuse of legal processes,” the PTFOMS said.

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