‘I WILL NEVER BE SILENCED’: PICAO Chief Indicted Again for Cyber Libel

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Iloilo Provincial Information and Community Affairs Office (PICAO) head Jose Nereo Lujan is facing a fresh cyber libel indictment filed by former Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.

The City Prosecutor’s Office indicted Lujan over a Facebook post allegedly published on Jan. 8, 2025, that featured a collage of Treñas holding a firearm beside the mayor’s vocal critic, Jun Capulot, also holding a long firearm.

The caption read, “Panago ka na (Go in hiding) Jun Capulot. Hahahahaha,” and tagged Capulot in the post.

Of the nine posts reviewed from December 2024 to January 2025, only the Jan. 8 post was deemed potentially libelous.

The prosecutor said the post implied Treñas had a “violent tendency,” portraying Capulot as at risk and suggesting the former mayor had criminal inclinations.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Lujan said he had not yet received a formal copy of the resolution but plans to file a motion for reconsideration.

“I will confront these charges with the truth on my side and with the same conviction I have always shown in standing up for what is right. I will not be silenced,” Lujan said.

He has been a vocal critic of Treñas, especially over the demolition of the art deco Iloilo Central Market during Treñas’ term.

In July 2024, Lujan filed an administrative complaint against the former mayor with the Office of the Ombudsman.

He also criticized what he described as a premature media leak of the resolution, allegedly by Treñas’ camp.

Lujan said the leak undermines basic fairness and aims to cast him in a negative light before he can respond through legal means.

He described the repeated cyber libel charges as “harassment and a deliberate attempt to silence” his criticisms.

Treñas, in a statement Monday evening, said Lujan’s indictment “reaffirms our legal system’s commitment to truth, justice, and accountability.”

He said he welcomes legitimate criticism but will not tolerate defamatory attacks made with malice and intent to damage his name and reputation.

“No one should be allowed to weaponize social media to harass, malign or destroy the reputation of others,” Treñas said.

“Let this serve as a reminder that freedom of expression does not mean freedom from accountability.”

This is not Lujan’s first indictment.

In February 2025, he was charged with three counts of cyber libel, posting bail of PHP48,000 per count.