VETERAN journalist and author Philip Lustre Jr., 72, was arrested by police officers in Quezon City on Saturday morning moments after he participated in the Saturday News Forum, based on a cyberlibel warrant issued by a court in Davao.
Authorities served the arrest order and read Lustre his Miranda rights at the scene. He later told reporters he had no prior knowledge that any complaint had been filed against him. Lustre is the author of Kill, Kill, Kill, a book examining the administration‑era anti‑drug campaign.
Legal counsel Atty. Dino De Leon, who was present at the forum, has taken up Lustre’s defense. The legal team will seek to post bail — set at ₱48,000 — and will file a motion to quash the arrest warrant, arguing that Lustre was deprived of due process during the preliminary investigation stage because no subpoena or notice was ever served on him.
“I will fight this. I will not back down,” Lustre stated. The senior citizen was first brought to a hospital for a standard medical checkup following his arrest, and the team faces logistical hurdles in securing certified copies of the case documents from the Davao court to complete the bail process.
The National Press Club (NPC) has strongly condemned the arrest, calling it a threat to press freedom and due process. “Journalists must be able to perform their duties without intimidation. Legal processes must never be used to obstruct legitimate journalism or silence critical voices,” the group said in a statement, while affirming respect for the rule of law.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) also weighed in, urging prompt and compassionate handling of the bail application given Lustre’s age and asking authorities to clarify why he was not notified of the case against him earlier.
Lustre’s legal team has signaled that he reserves the right to file counter‑charges and administrative complaints to vindicate his rights if the proceedings are found to be defective. The case has drawn renewed attention to the use of cyberlibel laws against media practitioners, with press freedom advocates monitoring whether the arrest follows proper procedural safeguards. Further developments are expected once bail is posted and the motion to quash is filed in the Davao court.
metrosundaily
