Dutertes harassed media before, we won’t allow it this time – Ridon

MANILA, Philippines — Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon has called out members of the Duterte family for the cyber libel cases filed against members of the media, saying that if they were able to do it before, lawmakers will not allow it to happen again.

In an interview on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa complex, Ridon said that the House prosecution team is bothered about the cases filed against broadcast network GMA-7 and veteran journalist Philip Lustre Jr.

“Sa araw po na ito, nagpapahayag ng pagkabahala ang House prosecution panel, doon po sa mga serye ng mga kasong isinampa laban sa mga mamamahayag sa mga broadcast networks katulad po ng GMA-7 at sa mamamahayag po na si Philip Lustre,” Ridon said.

Article continues after this advertisement

(On this day, the House prosecution panel raises concerns on the series of cases filed against journalists from broadcast networks like GMA-7 and journalist Philip Lustre.)

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

READ: Sara Duterte’s husband Mans Carpio behind cyberlibel case vs Lustre

“Ito po ay pag-atake sa press freedom, ito po ay pag-atake sa kalayaan para sa pamamahayag. Hindi po ito papayagan ng Kongreso; hindi po ito papayagan ng House prosecution panel. Ginawa na po nila ito noon sa ABS-CBN, ginawa na po nila ito sa Rappler. We will not allow them to do it again, not under our watch,” he added.

(This is an attack on press freedom; this is an attack on freedom of the press. Neither Congress nor the House prosecution panel will allow this. They did this to ABS-CBN before; they did this to Rappler. We will not allow them to do it again, not under our watch.)

According to Ridon, they will extend all the possible help they can provide to assist these media entities.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Veteran journalist Lustre arrested in QC for cyber libel

“So, ’yong lahat po ng tulong na maibibigay po namin sa lahat ng mga kasamahan po natin sa media para harapin po ang mga kaso po na ito, para sa broadcast network ng GMA-7 at para sa pamamahayag, beteranong mamamahayag na si Philip Lustre, gagawin po namin ito, sasamahan po namin sila sa bawat larangan ng laban po na ito,” he noted.

Article continues after this advertisement

(So, we will do all that we can to help our colleagues in the media to face these cases, for broadcast network ng GMA-7 and for veteran journalist Philip Lustre, we will join them in every step of this battle.)

READ: Pulong Duterte files P 20-M cyberlibel raps vs NBI chief, et al

Lustre was arrested on Saturday morning on an arrest order issued by a Davao City court, for a cyberlibel complaint against him. He was arrested in a restaurant where the Saturday News Forum was held.

He eventually posted bail of P48,000 on Saturday night, after his friends in the media pooled funds for his release.

READ: Duterte to ABS-CBN: ‘I will see to it that you are out’

On Monday afternoon, it was revealed that the cyber libel case came from a complaint filed by lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The case stemmed from a Facebook post published on March 6, 2026, through an account named “Philip Jr Lustre,” according to a court document provided by lawyer Dino De Leon.

Luster is a vocal critic of the Duterte family, being the author of the book “Kill, Kill, Kill,” which discusses the bloody anti-drug war of Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

GMA-7, meanwhile, was sued by Vice President Duterte’s brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, over allegations of bribery that he said were “untrue” and meant to destroy his reputation.

Aside from GMA-7 officials, Duterte, who personally appeared at the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office, filed complaints against National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag and dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.

Named as respondents from GMA-7 were executives Felipe Gozon and Gilberto Duavit Jr., television personalities Mel Tiangco and Vicky Morales, and Emil Sumangil, Darlene Cay, Marvin Parado, and Joel San Luis, as well as John and Jane Does.

Ridon said there is a precedent in how the Dutertes treat the media.

“Well, kung totoo po na si Atty. Mans Carpio ’yong complainant, at again confirmed din naman po na si Congressman Paulo Duterte ’yong complainant doon sa GMA Network libel complaint, it is an attack by the Dutertes on press freedom, hindi ho ba?” he said.

(If it is true that Atty. Mans Carpio is the complainant, and again it is confirmed that Congressman Paulo Duterte was the complainant in the GMA Network libel complaint, it is an attack by the Dutertes on press freedom, right?)

“It speaks volumes about how they actually look at the media, and there is historical precedent for it. The former President closed down ABS-CBN, filed cases against Rappler, and the son and the son-in-law are filing cases against media organizations and personalities as well,” he added.

The Dutertes’ treatment of media entities has been criticized over the years. Under former President Duterte’s watch, media giant ABS-CBN was shut down, as the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) released a cease and desist order against the network, saying it no longer has a franchise.

Deliberations went on, but the House of the 18th Congress officially slammed the door on a new franchise last July 10, 2020, when lawmakers from the House committee on legislative franchises—including House officials acting as ex-officio members—voted in favor of a resolution that deprives the network of a franchise.

Critics of former President Duterte speculated that ABS-CBN’s shutdown was brought about by its critical coverage of the ex-leader, but he maintained before that he had nothing to do with it.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

But before the shutdown—in December 2019—Duterte reiterated his threat to block ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, saying the television network should not expect its franchise to be renewed. /cb