Duterte files P20-million libel complaint against GMA Network

Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte has filed libel and cyberlibel complaints against GMA Network executives and several news personalities at the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office. The legal action seeks P10 million in moral damages and P10 million in exemplary damages, totaling P20 million in civil damages.

The complaint stems from a September 25 report on the news program ‘24 Oras,’ in which former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. claimed he delivered suitcases containing millions to billions of pesos in cash to Duterte and other family members, including Vice President Sara Duterte. Duterte has denied the allegations, calling them “pure fiction” and stating he does not know Gracioso.

Duterte’s lawyer, Peter Paul Danao, argued that press freedom is not absolute and that journalists have a duty to verify information before broadcasting to avoid reputational harm. Respondents named in the complaint include GMA Network chairman Felipe Gozon, president and CEO Gilberto Duavit Jr., anchors Mel Tiangco, Vicky Morales, and Emil Sumangil, as well as several journalists and NBI Director Melvin Matibag.

ML Partylist Representative Leila de Lima criticized the filing, stating that suing a media network for reporting allegations of corruption sends a “chilling message” to journalists and serves as an attempt to silence the press.