MANILA—The House prosecution panel on Monday pledged to support journalists facing legal complaints from members of the Duterte family, warning against what it described as renewed attacks on press freedom.

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts and a House prosecutor, made the statement amid libel and cyberlibel complaints filed by Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte against GMA Network executives and journalists, as well as a cyberlibel case against veteran journalist Philip Lustre Jr. filed by lawyer Manases Carpio, the husband of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Ridon said the cases recalled the legal and political challenges faced by ABS-CBN and Rappler during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Ito po ay pag-atake sa press freedom. Ito po ay pag-atake sa kalayaan para sa pamamahayag. Hindi po ito papayagan ng Kongreso, hindi po ito papayagan ng House prosecution panel,” Ridon said.

“Ginawa na po nila ito noon sa ABS-CBN; ginawa na po nila ito sa Rappler. We will not allow them to do it again. Not under our watch,” he added.

Paolo Duterte filed complaints on Friday, Oct. 23, against GMA executives and journalists, National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag and former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr.

The complaints stemmed from a GMA report on Gracioso’s allegations that he delivered suitcases of cash to members of the Duterte family, who have denied the claims.

Lustre, 72, was arrested in Quezon City on Saturday, Oct. 24, over a cyberlibel warrant issued by a Davao City court. He was released later that day after posting P48,000 bail.

His lawyer, Dino de Leon, confirmed that Carpio was the complainant and questioned the arrest, saying the journalist had not received a subpoena or an opportunity to respond to the complaint.

Ridon described the legal actions as part of a troubling pattern involving the Duterte family and media organizations.

“It is an attack by the Dutertes on press freedom, hindi ba? So, it speaks volumes about how they actually look at media,” he said.

“There is historical precedent on it. The former president closed down ABS-CBN, filed cases against Rappler, and the son and the son-in-law are filing cases against media organizations and personalities as well,” Ridon added.

ABS-CBN halted its free-to-air broadcasts in May 2020 after its franchise expired and the National Telecommunications Commission ordered it to stop operations. The House, then led by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, now Senate minority leader, subsequently rejected the network’s application for a new franchise.

Rappler and its journalists also faced several legal cases during the Duterte administration, including a cyberlibel case against journalist Maria Ressa.

Ridon said legal action against journalists for reporting facts or expressing observations should be a cause for concern.

“Pero I think a red line needs to be made doon po sa pagkakaso sa mga nagsasabi lang po ng totoo, nagsasabi ng kanilang obserbasyon, nagsasabi ng mga bagay batay sa kalayaan sa pamamahayag,” he said.

He also questioned the Philippine National Police’s handling of arrest warrants, citing the arrest of Lustre and the circumstances surrounding a separate grave threats case against the Vice President.

“The double standard of the non-arrest of the Vice President is clearly at play on the arrest of Philip Lustre,” Ridon said.

On Sept. 4, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 issued an arrest warrant against Duterte for three counts of grave threats after finding probable cause to hold her for trial.

The charges arose from her November 2024 online press briefing, during which she said she had instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez if she herself were killed.

Duterte denied making threats, saying her remarks expressed concern for her own safety.

The court set bail at P120,000 for each count, or P360,000 in total. Duterte appeared before the court on Sept. 5 and posted bail without being taken into police custody, after which the court lifted the arrest warrant.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla later said authorities knew the Vice President’s whereabouts the night before but did not force her arrest. He maintained that police had treated her with the respect due her office.

Ridon called on the PNP to explain the difference in the handling of the two cases, noting that both involved bailable charges.

“I think the [PNP] should clarify today bakit po inaaresto si Philip Lustre samantalang hindi po inaaresto ang ating pong Pangalawang Pangulo,” he said.

He also said he would coordinate with fellow lawmakers, including ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, on a possible joint House resolution addressing concerns over Lustre’s arrest.

Ridon pledged assistance to the journalists and media organizations facing the complaints, including GMA Network and Lustre.

“‘Yung lahat po ng tulong na maibibigay po namin sa lahat ng mga kasamahan po natin sa media para harapin po ang mga kasong ito para sa broadcast network ng GMA 7 at para sa mamamahayag, beteranong mamamahayag na Philip Lustre,” he said.

“Gagawin po namin ito. Sasamahan po namin sila sa bawat larangan ng laban po na ito,” Ridon added.