Araullo wins red-tagging case against Badoy and Celiz

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – Broadcast journalist Atom Araullo won his civil suit against the red-tagging of Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celiz on December 12. This case marks the first known application of a Supreme Court (SC) decision last May, which defined red-tagging as a threat to an individual’s constitutional right to life, liberty, and security.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 306 ordered SMNI hosts Badoy and Celiz to pay Araullo PHP 2.08 million in damages and legal fees to compensate for the impact of “the red-tagging and its effects on his personal life and career as a journalist,” stated Judge Dolly-Rose Bolante Prado in her ruling.
“I am elated by the court’s decision. Above all, this case opens a legal avenue for anyone who has been a victim of red-tagging and harmful disinformation, especially journalists. It is not acceptable to be attacked or harassed simply for doing our jobs,” Araullo expressed in a statement.
In her 27-page ruling, the judge referenced the SC’s definition, stating that Badoy and Celiz “deliberately sought to discredit and inflict harm” on Araullo.
From August 2022 to January 30, 2024, Badoy and Celiz repeatedly linked Araullo and his mother, Carol Araullo, to the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing, the New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front. These allegations were made on television and shared on SMNI’s social media accounts.
In response, Araullo filed a lawsuit on September 11, 2024.
“These labels and remarks went beyond mere editorial opinion or fair commentary and, worse, incited backlash, threats, and public hatred toward the plaintiff,” the judge noted.
Badoy, a former Communications Undersecretary during the Duterte administration and ex-spokesperson for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, has a history of accusing individuals of having ties to the communist movement. She co-hosts the SMNI show “Laban Kasama Ng Bayan” with Celiz.
“This case also demonstrates that one can seek redress for defamation without resorting to criminal libel, an outdated law often used to silence critical reporting, criticism, and dissent,” stated the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines in a statement.
“May it also serve as a warning to red-taggers that the media community can, has, and will hold you accountable in whatever venues are available,” the group added.