On LIBEL
G.R. No. 110088; February 1, 1995 DR. MERLE A. ALONZO
vs.
COURT OF APPEALS
FACTS:
Dr. Dr. Alon Alonzo zo is the the Fiel Fiel O!era O!eratio tions ns O""i# O""i#er er "or Re$io Re$ion n %& o" the 'hili 'hili!! !!in ine e (ei# (ei#al al )are )are )o**ission +'()). +'()). As a "iel ins!e#tor, ins!e#tor, she is assi$ne assi$ne to ins!e#t #lini#s in orer to see to it that that #lini# #lini#s s are !ro!e !ro!erly rly "ollo"ollo-in$ in$ rules rules an an re$ula re$ulatio tions ns o" the 'hili 'hili!!i !!ine ne (ei# (ei#al al )are )are )o**ission. )o**ission. he ins!e#te to. Ni/o (ei#al )lini# in Astor$a, Astor$a, ta. )ruz, Davao el ur, an Our ay o" Fati*a (ei#al )lini# in Guihin$, a$onoy, Davao el ur. 2oth o" these #lini#s -ere o-ne an *ana$e by Dr. An$eles 3elas#o, *arrie to 4u$e Dan 3elas#o o" the ()6 a$onoy, Davao el ur. A"ter the ins!e#tion, Dr. Alonzo sub*itte her re!ort on her "inin$s to Dr. 4esus a*esis, '()) 3i#e6)hair*an. A !ortion o" the sub*itte sub*itte re!ort re!ort rea7 In all, all, this this parti particul cular ar clinic clinic should should be closel closely y monit monitore ored d beca because use,, aside aside from from the the above above ment mentio ione ned d viol violat atio ions ns,, the the husb husban and d is a judg judge e and and it give gives s them them a cert certai ain n amou amount nt of "untouchability" . "untouchability" . In fact, they make court suits their pasttime . Finin$ su#h !ortion to be libelous, Dr. 3elas#o an her husban, 4u$e Dan 3elas#o, then "ile a #o*!laint "or libel a$ainst the !etitioner.
ISSUE:
:hether or not the uestione re!ort o" Dr. Alonzo is libelous.
RULING: No.
Arti#le <5< o" the Revise 'enal )oe !rovies that a libel is a !ubli# an *ali#ious i*!utation i*!utation o" a #ri*e, or o" a vi#e or e"e#t, real or i*a$inary, or any a#t or o*ission, #onition, status, or #ir#u*stan#e tenin$ to #ause the ishonor, is#reit, or #onte*!t o" a natural or =urii#al !erson or to bla#>en the *e*ory o" one -ho is ea. For an i*!utation then to be libelous, the "ollo-in$ reuisites *ust #on#ur7 +a it *ust be e"a*atory;
+b it *ust be *ali#ious; +# it *ust be $iven !ubli#ity; an + the vi#ti* *ust be ienti"iable. Any o" the i*!utations #overe by Arti#le <5< is e"a*atory an, uner the $eneral rule lai o-n in Arti#le <5?, every e"a*atory i*!utation is !resu*e to be *ali#ious, even i" it be true; i" no $oo intention an =usti"iable *otive "or *a>in$ it is sho-n. here is *ali#e -hen the author o" the i*!utation is !ro*!te by !ersonal ill6-ill or s!ite an s!ea>s not in res!onse to uty but *erely to in=ure the re!utation o" the !erson -ho #lai*s to have been e"a*e. ruth then is not a e"ense, unless it is sho-n that the *atter #har$e as libelous -as *ae -ith $oo *otives an "or =usti"iable ens. Arti#le <@1 o" the Revise 'enal )oe !rovies, in !art, as "ollo-s7 Art. <@1. Proof of truth. &n every #ri*inal !rose#ution "or libel, the truth *ay be $iven in evien#e to the #ourt an i" it a!!ears that the *atter #har$e as libelous is true, an, *oreover, that it -as !ublishe -ith $oo *otives an "or =usti"iable ens, the e"enant shall be a#uitte. o-ever, *ali#e is not !resu*e an *ust, there"ore, be !rove, uner the "ollo-in$ eB#e!tions !rovie "or in Arti#le <5?, viz .7 1. A !rivate #o**uni#ation *ae by any !erson to another in the !er"or*an#e o" any le$al, *oral or so#ial uty; an C. A "air an true re!ort, *ae in $oo "aith, -ithout any #o**ents or re*ar>s; o" any =ui#ial le$islative or other o""i#ial !ro#eein$s -hi#h are not o" #on"iential nature, or o" any state*ent, re!ort or s!ee#h elivere in sai !ro#eein$s, or o" any other a#t !er"or*e by !ubli# o""i#ers in the eBer#ise o" their "un#tions. he !rivile$e #hara#ter o" these #o**uni#ations is not absolute, but *erely uali"ie sin#e they #oul still be sho-n to be *ali#ious by !roo" o" a#tual *ali#e or *ali#e in "a#t. he buren o" !roo" in this re$ar is on the !lainti"" or the !rose#ution. he )ourt hel that the re!ort in this #ase "alls -ithin the "irst !ara$ra!h o" Arti#le <5? o" the Revise 'enal )oe. )onseuently, the !resu*!tion o" *ali#e or *ali#e in la- -as ne$ate by the !rivile$e #hara#ter o" the re!ort. he !rivile$e *ay only be lost by !roo" o" *ali#e in "a#t. &t is, nevertheless, settle that Ea !rivile$e #o**uni#ation shoul not be sub=e#te to *i#ros#o!i# eBa*ination to is#over $rouns o" *ali#e or "alsity. u#h eB#essive s#rutiny -oul e"eat the !rote#tion -hi#h the la- thro-s over !rivile$e #o**uni#ations. he ulti*ate test is that o" bona fides. he uestione re!ort -as a uali"ie !rivile$e #o**uni#ation. he !etitioner *ae her re!ort in the eBer#ise o" her o""i#ial uty or "un#tion. he renere it in ue #ourse to her su!erior -ho ha a uty to !er"or* -ith res!e#t to its sub=e#t *atter an -hi#h the latter "aith"ully i by "ilin$
the a!!ro!riate #o*!laint a$ainst Dr. 3elas#o a"ter an evaluation o" the re!ort. he !rose#ution in this #ase un"ortunately -as unable to !rove *ali#e in "a#t. Finally there -as, in la-, no !ubli#ation o" the uestione re!ort. he rule is settle that a #o**uni#ation *ae by a !ubli# o""i#er in the is#har$e o" his o""i#ial uties to another or to a boy o" o""i#ers havin$ a uty to !er"or* -ith res!e#t to the sub=e#t *atter o" the #o**uni#ation oes not a*ount to a !ubli#ation -ithin the *eanin$ o" the la- on e"a*ation.
