FACT CHECK: No court order for GMA Network’s shutdown over libel complaint

A complaint filed with prosecutors was falsely presented as a court ruling ordering the network’s closure Claim: GMA Network will be shut down due to libel and cyber libel complaints filed by Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: A YouTube video posted on October 24 by the channel Pinas News Insider carries the title, “WALA NA! FINISH NA! BYE BYE GMA 7, ISASARA NA; HATOL KORTE KOMPIRMAD0NG ANTI VP SARA; DAWIT BBM, NBI” (It’s over! Finished! Bye-bye GMA 7, to be shut down, court ruling confirmed, anti-VP Sara, BBM, NBI implicated.) The thumbnail then asks with a superimposed text, “GMA sarado na?! Karma ang inabot, hatol sa korte?!” (Is GMA closed already?! Did karma catch up with it? A court ruling?!) The video had 78,000 views and 4,200 likes as of writing. The facts: No court ruling, government order, or credible report indicated that GMA Network is closing. The case involves a complaint, not a court verdict. Duterte personally filed a cyber libel complaint on October 23 with Davao City’s Office of the City Prosecutor over a September 25 episode of GMA’s news program 24 Oras, which aired pre-recorded interviews with dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag. Gracioso alleged that he delivered suitcases of cash to the Duterte family (READ: The Gracioso affidavit: Ex-cop claims he delivered millions to Sara Duterte). Duterte named Matibag, Gracioso, GMA chairman Felipe Gozon, president and chief executive Gilberto Duavit Jr., and anchors, including Mel Tiangco and Vicky Morales, as respondents. He is seeking P10 million in moral damages and another P10 million in exemplary damages. Vice President Sara Duterte denied Gracioso’s allegations and said he is purely driven by money. Filing a complaint does not automatically lead to criminal charges or affect GMA Network’s operations. Under the Rules of Criminal Procedure, the prosecutor must first conduct a preliminary investigation and determine whether probable cause exists to bring the case to court. Only then can it file formal charges. GMA Network has not announced any closure. As of October 23, the network said it had yet to receive a copy of the complaint and would review the matter. Libel complaint: Press groups and lawmakers have criticized the complaint. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) GMA Chapter condemned the complaint on October 23, saying the report had undergone “standard, multilayered editorial and legal verification.” Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Representative Leila de Lima said suing journalists over reports on corruption allegations sends a chilling message to other media practitioners. Duterte, meanwhile, said he was merely defending his family. On October 26, Matibag sought to remove the Davao City prosecutor handling the complaint and move its venue to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) national prosecution service. The NBI investigation into Gracioso’s allegations is ongoing. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. How does this make you feel? Loading