Mayor considers cyber libel suit against provincial info chief

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced that he is exploring legal actions against Nereo Lujan, the chief of the Iloilo Provincial Information and Community Affairs Office (PICAO), for alleged ongoing harassment on social media targeting him and his family.

In a statement on Monday evening, Treñas referred to Lujan as a “provincial official of the PIO” who has been harassing his family “for a long time for no reason.”

Although Treñas initially did not name Lujan, he later confirmed his identity when asked via Viber.

Treñas has instructed his law firm, The Law Offices of Treñas Rubias Dela Cruz Lee-Trimañez and Associates, to review Lujan’s personal Facebook posts for potential cyber libel charges under Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

“I have finally had enough of Lujan’s cyber harassment,” Treñas said. “All his Facebook posts are being carefully studied and I have now decided to file as many cyber libel cases against him as may be warranted. He has been bullying me on his Facebook page for so long for no reason at all. I have kept quiet but enough is enough.”

In a subsequent statement, Treñas emphasized that Lujan, as a government official, is expected to adhere to the standards outlined in Republic Act No. 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

“[Lujan] is not a member of the media. He is a government official who is supposedly guided by [Republic Act No. 6713]. Where in his list of functions is he duty-bound to cyberbully and harass the city mayor of Iloilo City?” Treñas added.

Treñas reiterated his stance on Tuesday morning, vowing to let the Philippine justice system determine the boundaries of acceptable behavior for public officials online, including whether they can engage in cyber harassment or ridicule.

He confirmed his intention to seek administrative charges against Lujan and pursue the case all the way to the Supreme Court.

“In the same way that [Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr.] also filed cyber libel charges against someone he thought went beyond what was legally allowed, I will also do the same. Let us enrich Philippine jurisprudence. The outcome of these legal actions will guide future actions of public officials in the years to come,” the mayor explained.

Responding on Tuesday morning, Lujan acknowledged his critical posts but defended them as legitimate calls for transparency, specifically regarding the city government’s Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) and the demolition of the façade of the Iloilo City Public Market.

“Mayor Treñas, I’m sorry if my actions have caused you distress,” Lujan stated. “However, my intention was not to harass you but to seek clarification on the demolition of the Iloilo Central Market. While I am a government employee, I too am a taxpayer, and I believe it is important to hold our public officials accountable and ensure transparency in governance. If my inquiries have caused any discomfort, I express my regrets, but I stand by my right to seek answers.”