QUEZON CITY — The arrest of veteran journalist Philip M. Lustre Jr. on a cyberlibel warrant and a multi-million-peso libel and cyberlibel complaint filed by Rep. Paolo Duterte against GMA Network personnel have raised fresh concerns over press freedom in the Philippines.

Lustre, 72, was arrested on Saturday, October 24, shortly after attending the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, according to his lawyer, Dino De Leon.

De Leon said the arrest was made pursuant to a warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 10 in Davao City over an alleged violation of Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The lawyer said Lustre was unaware of any pending criminal complaint or preliminary investigation before his arrest. He added that the legal team had yet to determine the specific details of the case and the identity of the complainant.

De Leon also questioned the absence of a subpoena or notice that would have allowed Lustre to respond to the allegations before the warrant was issued. He said the address listed in the warrant was not Lustre’s actual address.

Following his arrest, Lustre was brought to the Quezon City General Hospital at around 1 p.m. for a medical examination before being returned to Kamuning Police Station 10, where he remained detained as of Saturday afternoon.

De Leon said the legal team was processing Lustre’s bail, which had been set at P48,000.

Lustre authored Kill, Kill, Kill, a book documenting alleged state-sponsored killings and human rights violations during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) GMA Chapter has condemned a multi-million-peso libel and cyberlibel complaint filed by Rep. Paolo Duterte against GMA Network executives, news anchors, field reporters and news producers, along with other respondents.

In a statement dated October 23, the group said the complaint followed reporting on allegations involving cash-filled suitcases allegedly delivered to prominent political figures. The allegations were based on public disclosures and sworn statements made by a former security aide, according to the organization.

The NUJP GMA Chapter maintained that the report underwent editorial and legal reviews before airing, including verification through official sources, law enforcement documents and background checks.

The group also reported that the field reporter involved had faced online harassment and intimidation, including threatening messages directed at the reporter and family members and artificial intelligence-manipulated content intended to damage the journalist’s reputation.

It said the reporter had no prior personal relationship with the source before an official interview coordinated with law enforcement authorities.

The group warned that criminal complaints against journalists over reporting on matters of public interest could discourage critical reporting and undermine public accountability.

It reiterated the NUJP’s position calling for the decriminalization of libel in the Philippines, saying criminal libel laws could be used to intimidate journalists and suppress reporting on public officials.

The organization also expressed support for the network’s executives, anchors, producers and reporters and urged media workers, legal advocates and the public to oppose what it described as the use of legal action and harassment to silence journalists. (Ang Pahayagan Reportorial Team)

📸 Journalist Philip Lustre Jr. is arrested for a cyberlibel complaint after attending the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City on Oct. 24, 2026. The warrant of arrest was issued by a Davao court. | PNA photos by Joan Bondoc