SORIANO v IAC Petitioners: Marcelo Soriano Respondents: Intermediate Appellate Court, Hon. Auxencio Dacuycuy, and Hon. Francisco Tantuico, Jr. Topic: Libel Jurisdiction Facts !ased on a complaint by Francisco S. Tantuico, Jr., t"en C"airman o# t"e Commission on Audit $C%A&, an In#ormation #or libel 'as #iled a(ainst Marcelo Soriano and ) ot"ers in connection 'it" press releases and articles imputin( to Tantuico t"e tamperin( by C%A personnel o# election returns in t"e May *+, *-+ !atasan elections to assure t"e ictory o# certain candidates at "is residence in Tacloban City and in t"e C%A /e(ional %##ice in 0alo, Leyte T"e In#ormation in part states1 T"e City Fiscal o# t"e Tacloban City accuses Soriano, !obby de la Cru2, Cesar o 3ille(as Cirilo /oy4 Monto5o, 6mmanuel 4!utc"4 3eloso, 3alenta 7. 8uintero and Jo"n 4Doe4, o# t"e crime o# Libel Said accused publis"ed9republis"ed in t"e 4T"e :uardian4 dated May ;)Impeac" Tantuico Case Looms? T"e case 'as doc=eted as Criminal Criminal Case @o. )*) o# t"e Leyte Leyte court. Soriano #iled a motion to Buas" t"e in#ormation on t"e (round o# improper enue Soriano contended t"at t"e court "as no 5urisdiction because under Art. Art. ), o /0C, t"e libel case s"ould "ae been #iled at 8C '"ere Tantuico Tantuico "olds o##ice and '"ere t"e publication "ouse o# t"e 4:uardian4 is located T"e trial court denied t"e motion motion on May *), *-, statin( t"at t"e libelous libelous article complained contained in a press release 'as printed and #irst publis"ed in Tacloban City and enue #or t"e case "as been properly laid in accordance 'it" Art. ), /0C Soriano #iled a petition #or certiorari pro"ibition pro"ibition 'it" prayer #or a 'rit o# preliminary in5unction 'it" t"e t"en IAC raisin( t"e same Buestion o# 5urisdiction IAC dismissed t"e petition in a decision on Sept. *;, *- T"e appellate court also denied a motion #or reconsideration. Hence, t"is petition •
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Issues: Eo@ t"e /TC
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amendments to Art. ) 'ere intended to #ree media persons #rom t"e intimidatin( "arassment o# libel suits #iled in any place '"ere a ne'spaper "appens to be sold or circulated T"e May ;)T"e #ore(oin( "ain( #ailed to eince any #indin( t"at t"e alle(ed libelous o statements 'ere printed and #irst publis"ed in Tacloban City, but 'ere in #act printed and #irst publis"ed in 8ue2on City, and considerin( t"e admitted #act t"at Tantuico, at t"e time o# t"e commission o# t"e o##ense, 'as a public o##icial '"ose o##ice is located in 8ue2on City, t"e application o# t"e proisions o# Article ) o# t"e /eised 0enal Code constrain a conclusion t"at t"e enue and 5urisdiction oer sub5ect criminal case #or libel s"ould be lod(ed not in Tacloban City but in 8ue2on City?
