Vasquez vs CA

Rodolfo R. Vasquez asquez vs Court of Appeals, et al. G.R. No. 118971; 15 Septemer 1999 !op"#$ %"el &a#ts$ '

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Vasquez "s "s a res"de(t res"de(t of of t)e !o(do !o(do &ores)ore &ores)ore Area. Area. *e a(d some some fam"l"es fam"l"es from t)e t)e area +e(t to see t)e( Nat"o(al *ous"( Aut)or"t- N*A/ reard"( t)e"r #ompla"(t aa"(st t)e"r 0ara(a- C)a"rma(, a"me 2lmedo. After t)e"r meet"(, )e a(d )"s #ompa("o(s +ere "(terv"e+ed - (e+spaper reporters. !)e (e3t (e3t da-, da-, t)e t)e follo+"( follo+"( (e+s art"#l art"#lee appeared appeared "( t)e t)e (e+spaper (e+spaper A( !"(" !"(" ( 4ass. 4ass. !)e art"#le me(t"o(s t)at t)ese people are as"( for )elp s"(#e t)e"r la(d +as stole( from t)em - t)e 2lmedo, +)o )ad #o((e#t"o(s +"t) t)e N*A. 0ased o( t)e (e+spaper (e+spaper art"#l art"#le, e, 2lmedo 2lmedo f"led f"led a #ompla" #ompla"(t (t for for l"el l"el aa"(st aa"(st Vasquez alle"( t)at Vasquez6 Vasquez6 stateme(ts stateme(ts #ast aspers"o(s o( )"m a(d damaed )"s reputat"o(. R!C R!C fou(d fou(d )"m )"m u" u"lt lt- of l" l"el el.. CA aff" aff"rm rmed ed..

ssue$ )et)er Va Vasquez "s l"ale for l"ale eve( "f )e +as (ot t)e o(e o( e to pul"s) t)e art"#le. Rat"o$  N2. ( de(ou(#"( t)e ara(a- #)a"rma( "( t)"s #ase, pet"t"o(er a(d t)e ot)er res"de(ts of t)e !o(do !o(do &ores)ore Area +ere (ot o(l- a#t"( "( t)e"r self'"(terest ut e(a"( "( t)e performa(#e of a #"v"# dut- to see to "t t)at pul"# dut- "s d"s#)ared fa"t)full- a(d +ell  - t)ose o( +)om su#) dut- "s "(#ume(t. !)e re#o("t"o( of t)"s r")t a(d dut- of ever- #"t"ze( "( a demo#ra#- "s "(#o(s"ste(t +"t) a(- requ"reme(t pla#"( o( )"m t)e urde( of prov"( t)at )e a#ted +"t) ood mot"ves a(d for ust"f"ale e(ds. &or t)at matter, eve( "f t)e defamator- stateme(t "s false, (o l"a"l"t- #a( atta#) "f "t relates to off"#"al #o(du#t, u(less t)e pul"# off"#"al #o(#er(ed proves t)at t)e stateme(t +as made +"t) a#tual mal"#e t)at "s, +"t) (o+lede t)at "t +as false or +"t) re#less d"sreard of +)et)er "t +as false or (ot. !)"s "s t)e "st of t)e rul"( "( t)e la(dmar #ase of Ne+ N e+ :or :or !"mes !"mes v. Sull"va(, +)"#) t)"s Court )as #"ted +"t) approval "( several of "ts o+( de#"s"o(s. !)"s "s t)e rule of a#tual mal"#e. ( t)"s #ase, t)e prose#ut"o( fa"led to prove (ot o(l- t)at t)e #)ares made  pet"t"o(er +ere false ut also t)at pet"t"o(er made t)em +"t) (o+lede of t)e"r fals"tfals"t- or +"t) re#less d"sreard of +)et)er t)e- +ere false or (ot.