AS of this writing, radio host and writer Jobert Sucaldito is still reportedly appealing to qualify for probation relating his conviction in the cyber libel case filed against him by singer Erik Santos and his manager, Erickson Raymundo.
The legal tussle started in 2017 with Sucaldito writing a series of blind items on social media about a certain talent and manager.
He would allegedly go on to actually name Santos and Raymundo in later posts, describing both “bakla,” among others.
Sucaldito defended his action citing the two as public figures and thus subject to “fair comment.”
He also insisted that he is merely exercising freedom of speech and that what he wrote were “privileged in nature.”
But the court wasn’t convinced.
“It is the cardinal condition of all criticism that it shall be bona fide, and shall not spill over the walls of decency and propriety,” it said.
“Respondent went beyond his duties as a newsperson to actually attack complainants’ personal preferences in life,” it added.
Santos originally filed 21 counts of cyber libel, 2 counts of libel, and six counts of grave threat complaints against Sucaldito.
In his original complaint he said, “The words and phrases that he (Sucaldito) used are calculated to induce the readers of his Facebook page to suppose and understand that I am gay and that I engage in sexual relationships with people of the same gender.
“The same are indisputably defamatory for they impute upon me a condition which is sufficient to impeach or reputation as bankable artist and to hold me up to public ridicule.
“Attacking my sexuality is a clear insult and harmful to my person and career. He also repeatedly attacked my character, labelling me a traitor and one who mooches on other people.”
Raymundo, on the other hand, filed 22 counts of cyber libel, 1 count of slander, and 6 counts of grave threat cases against Sucaldito.
Sucaldito was eventually tried for 37 counts of cyber libel with the grave threat, slander, and libel cases having been trashed at the preliminary investigation.
Early this year, he pleaded guilty to the lesser crime of ordinary libel going to apply for probation in lieu of him serving time behind bars. (RAMPADOR ALINDOG)
