Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo threatens to file a cyber libel and libel case against the Inquirer.net and Rappler for maliciously inferring that he recommended convicted rapist-killer Antonio Sanchez’s executive clemency letter.
Panelo said that he would take legal action in the next days against the said online news sites over their reports that he “endorsed” or “recommended” Sanchez’s clemency. Sanchez was lined up to be freed in August until it was stopped due to public outrage and President Duterte’s order as per Senator Bong Go.
The President’s Duterte’s legal Adviser Panelo said, “Those articles are reeking with not only irresponsibility but with malice, and it is libelous in nature because it tends, it imputes an act to discredit me in public and to tarnish my honor.”
Salvador Panelo said he’s a journalist too
“I think it’s about time that people like you, because me too, I was a broadcast journalist,” Panelo said in an interview.
“I never wrote articles that will cast aspersion or impute any crime or defect or vice to any person whether natural or juridical. And it’s about time we put a stop to this. We should be writing accurately,” he added.
The Inquirer Group of Companies said “Inquirer.net respects Secretary Panelo’s right to sue for libel if he feels aggrieved by the report. We shall refer the matter to our lawyers when he files the suit.” as a response to Panelo.
The news broke yesterday that Panelo referred convicted rapist Sanchez’s executive clemency.
Bureau of Pardons and Parole executive director Reynaldo Bayang revealed that Salvador Panelo referred convicted rapist Sanchez’s executive clemency.
Bayang said that the presidential spokesperson and president’s chief legal counsel wrote him a recommendation letter on convicted rapist Sanchez’s executive clemency.
It was only on August 23 when Panelo said that Eileen Sarmenta’s rapist-killer not illegible for release.
“Mr. Sanchez under Republic Act 10592 is not eligible so the President, as chief enforcer of the law, will have to follow the law,” Panelo says.