Groups assail conviction of Baguio journalist
Groups assail conviction of Baguio journalist
“Frank Cimatu’s case is proof of how government officials use libel as a weapon to harass and intimidate journalists.”
By AIRA MARIE SIGUENZA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – A Quezon City court convicted journalist Frank Cimatu over cyberlibel charges today, Dec. 13.
In a 19-page decision, Judge Evangeline Cabochan-Santos of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 93 ruled that Cimatu, Baguio Chronicle editor and Rappler correspondent, is “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of cyber-libel charges filed by former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.
Under Section 4(c)(4) of the Republic Act No. 10175, known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, Cimatu will face a penalty of imprisonment from a minimum of six months and one day up to five years, 11 days at maximum. Aside from this, the court also ordered Cimatu to pay P300,000 ($5,370) for exemplary damages.
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