Iloilo province spox charged with cyberlibel
Mayor Jerry Treñas —Iloilo City Mayor’s Office
ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A former journalist, who now serves as chief information officer of the Iloilo provincial government, is facing trial in court for allegedly maligning Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Jose Nereo Lujan was indicted by the Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office on three counts of cyberlibel about his comments against the mayor.
Prosecutor Caryl Kate Fabella-Genova III, in her resolution, dismissed Lujan’s motion seeking reconsideration of her earlier decision to indict him, saying there was enough evidence to hold the respondent accountable.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Lujan said he had yet to receive an official copy of the resolution dated Jan. 13.
“I have yet to receive an official copy of the decision, while the Iloilo media community has already obtained it, raising serious questions about the motive behind this premature disclosure,” he said.
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Article continues after this advertisement“This is clearly an attempt by Mayor Treñas to discredit me in light of my continued criticism of his kind of governance,” Lujan added.
Treñas, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, said he had always been open to public criticism. However, he said freedom of expression should not be abused.
“I have always welcomed fair and constructive criticism, but I will never allow anyone to spread falsehoods under the guise of free expression. I remain steadfast in my commitment to serve the people of Iloilo City with integrity and dignity,” Treñas said.
“The resolution reaffirms that freedom of expression does not give anyone the right to ridicule, humiliate, or maliciously put a public servant to shame. While public officials are open to criticism, such freedom must not be abused to unjustly tarnish reputations through baseless and defamatory imputations,” the mayor added.
Facebook posts
Treñas filed cyberlibel complaints against Lujan in the Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office on May 21, 2024.
Lujan raised concerns about the legality of demolishing the city’s Central Market, highlighting its status as a heritage site. He also criticized the Treñas administration on several fronts, including traffic management, bike lanes and the gridlock at Ungka flyover.
In her decision, Fabella-Genova mentioned three Facebook posts by Lujan on June 11, 2023; Oct. 31, 2023; and April 9, 2024, which allegedly tried to ruin Treñas’ reputation.
Fabella-Genova said the context of Lujan’s posts was to embarrass Treñas by pointing out that the mayor was a leading traffic violator by supposedly citing an upset stomach as an excuse to get out of a gridlock. The prosecutor also cited another post claiming Treñas could not go to heaven, accompanied by a picture of the mayor.
Due process
In a statement, Lujan stressed that an indictment did not equate to a conviction and vowed to exhaust all possible means to get justice.
“Let me emphasize that an indictment is not a conviction. This case will still go through due process,” he said.
Lujan said Treñas wanted to discredit his advocacy as a heritage worker and environmental planner, which he said was firmly rooted in facts, public records and historical accuracy.
“Let me be clear: Criticism of public officials is a fundamental pillar of democracy, and no amount of legal intimidation can erase the documented realities of his governance,” Lujan said.
But Treñas, in a separate statement, said he believed Lujan had a malicious intent to tarnish his reputation.
“The malicious intent behind the respondent’s posts is undeniable. The resolution further emphasizes that these statements were made to ridicule and mock the complainant mayor, portraying me in a false and damaging light,” he said.
“Public service demands accountability, but it also requires protection against those who deliberately seek to mislead, defame, and distort the truth. Let this serve as a reminder that while our democracy upholds free speech, it does not protect reckless, malicious, and defamatory attacks meant to destroy a person’s integrity,” Treñas added.
