Pampanga reporter arrested for libel

CMFR/Philippines—A reporter in Pampanga, a province 80 kilometers north of Manila, was arrested on 19 December 2006 for libel.

Dante Fabian, a senior reporter for Sun.Star Pampanga, was arrested in Pulung village in Maragul district, Angeles City, Pampanga on a complaint for libel filed by Pampanga Rep. Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno on 3 August 2006. Fabian immediately posted bail on the day of his arrest after his colleagues in the Pampanga Press Club raised the P30, 000 (approx US$600) bail needed.

Libel is a criminal offense in the Philippines and has lately been used by many officials, including the husband of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, against journalists whose reporting they resent.

Fabian, a news reporter for Sun.Star since 1995, posted bail at the office of the Regional Trial Court Branch 61 Judge Bernardita Gabitan Erum.

Nepomuceno sued Fabian over three stories on  allegedly missing Php 19-million (approx US$ 368, 900) worth of water pipes and hand pumps purchased through the Congressional Priority Development Assistance Fund, more commonly known as the pork barrel fund,  of Nepomuceno, who represents  Pampanga’s first district.

Nepomuceno described Fabian’s articles as a form of “malicious reporting.”

Fabian however, insisted that he was just doing his job.

“I don’t have any reason or personal motive to go against him (Nepomuceno). I just report what I see,” Fabian said.

Nepomuceno, in a report by the TV network GMANEWS, denied the article’s allegations and said that the pipes had all been accounted for and were already being distributed.

Fabian will be arraigned on 25 January 2007.

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