Tsismosa kasi! Cebu Vendor Faces Up To 12 Years Of Prison For Spreading Rumors Online

Photo from balikbayan.info

Cyber-libel is a crime. For those who are not aware, under Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippine, defines libel as "a public and malicious imputation of a crime, vice or defect, real or imaginary or any act, omission, condition, status or circumstance tending to discredit or cause the dishonour or content of natural or judicial person or to blacken the memory of one who is dead."


A timely warning

Though cyber libel is already considered a crime in the Philippines, a lot of people are still not convinced that it is serious. However, it is one lesson that a woman from Cebu learned the hard way when she was caught in Bantayan, Cebu.

Photo from balikbayan.info

The woman allegedly spread gossip using Facebook Messenger. A concerned Facebook user posted about the arrest and made a warning for people to take the law more seriously. It is also reported that the woman is now facing charges of cyber libel and would have to pay P10,000 for her bail bond.


Punishment

If a person is proven to have spread malicious or derogatory words to other people or anything that can be considered as cyber libel, he or she would face up to 12 years of jail time.

The arrest of the woman opened a lot of eyes of the netizens who never really took the law seriously. Some people seem to think that just because they aren't getting seen when they attack people online, then they wouldn't be caught.

But it is important to note that our police are equipped to trace these people if even they get reported or if somebody files a case against them.

So the next time you think about spreading a fake story on Facebook or any social media channels, this news might make you think twice.

Source: balikbayan.info