THE two female environmental activists have been indicted by the Justice Department for serious oral defamation charges after publicly disclosing in a press conference that they were not rebel returnees, but had been abducted.
Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Arnold L. Magpantay found sufficient evidence to charge Jonila Fababer Castro and Jhed Reiyana Cruz in court under Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code.
According to the 15-page resolution, “Based on the facts and evidence on record, we find probable cause to indict respondents for grave oral defamation.”
The resolution stems from a complaint filed by Lt. Col. Ronnel B. Dela Cruz, commander of the 70th Infantry Battalion (70IB) of the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army (PA) in Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan.
In September 2023, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) revealed that the activists had surrendered to the military, according to abogado.com.
Initially presented as surrenderees in a press briefing, the duo later asserted that they were abducted.
“We consider the statements of respondents to be serious slander because the circumstances of the case show that they consciously, intentionally, and on purpose waited and chose the press conference, which would be held in public to air their grievances and plight. They had every opportunity from the time they were taken into custody by the 70th IB to disclose the abduction incident, assuming it is true, to persons who are apolitical but decided to keep quiet purportedly for security reasons, which were apparently baseless and unfounded, ” the resolution reads.
metrosundaily
