Several journalists schooled former reporter Gilbert Remulla on his misinformed tweet comparing the libel cases of Louie Beltran and Maria Ressa.
On Monday, June 15, right after a Manila court convicted Ressa and Rey Santos Jr on their cyber libel case, Remulla tweeted about the case of former President Cory Aquino and Louie Beltran.
Remulla said he can’t remember if there was any rage about press freedom when Aquino sued Beltran for libel. He even highlighted the tweet by saying “of course, she was an Aquino” insinuating bias.
“When Cory Aquino, as president, successfully sued Louie Beltran for libel, I don’t recall anyone in the media calling it the ‘death of press freedom’ or the ‘death of democracy;. Of course, she was an Aquino.”
When Cory Aquino, as president, successfully sued Louie Beltran for libel, I don’t recall anyone in the media calling it the “death of press freedom” or the “death of democracy”.
Of course, she was an Aquino.
— Gilbert C. Remulla (@GilbertCRemulla) June 15, 2020
In 1987, former President Cory Aquino filed a libel case against then-popular columnist Louie Beltran.
In one of his articles, Beltran wrote that Aquino “hid under her bed” during one of the coup attempts against her government.
“The president hid under her bed while the firing was going on—perhaps the first commander-in-chief of the armed forces to have done so,” said Beltran in the article.
Although Beltran followed up with an apology saying “I wasn’t making fun at (sic) her — only expressing concern at the gravity of the situation, which had stopped being funny,” Cory decided to push through with the case to quell any doubts from the people and the armed forces that she’s a weak leader. Beltran was convicted by the trial court but was later reversed by the Court of Appeals in 1995.
Meanwhile, journalists and academicians blasted Remulla for his wrong assertion about the press during the time of Aquino.
UP Journalism professor Danilo Arao slammed Remulla for his misinformed tweet. Arao said during that time, the libel case against Beltran was highly criticized also by media. He even schooled Remulla that during that time, UP CMC devoted a lot of time discussing the case since Beltan was a lecturer at the university.
“FOR THE RECORD: Remulla is wrong. Aquino’s libel case against Beltran in 1987 was roundly criticized as an attack on media. I should know. Beltran was a lecturer at UP CMC (then called IMC) where I was a journalism student. Our teachers then devoted a lot of time to discuss this.”
FOR THE RECORD: Remulla is wrong. Aquino's libel case against Beltran in 1987 was roundly criticized as an attack on media. I should know. Beltran was a lecturer at UP CMC (then called IMC) where I was a journalism student. Our teachers then devoted a lot of time to discuss this.
— Danilo Arao (@dannyarao) June 15, 2020
Journalist Inday Espina-Varona meanwhile asked someone to bring Remulla to the National Library so he can be enlightened on the Aquino-Beltran libel case.
“Someone bring Gilbert Remulla to the National Library and make him research Cory Aquino, Louie Beltran, Libel — so his fuzzy brain can be reminded of what journalists said then.”
Someone bring Gilbert Remulla to the National Library and make him research Cory Aquino, Louie Beltran, Libel — so his fuzzy brain can be reminded of what journalists said then.
— inday espina varona (@indayevarona) June 15, 2020
Another journalist Tonyo Cruz and beauty queen activist former Miss International Aurora Pijuan also shared their reactions to Remulla’s tweet.
Is this an admission that the cyberlibel case against @mariaressa is really a proxy case filed and won on behalf of Duterte? https://t.co/e75mh9b9J1
— Tonyo Cruz (@tonyocruz) June 15, 2020
And shame on you. I hope not all Remullas think like you. She filed a case because she knew it was a lie. And Beltran admitted he said it but pun intended. And he apologized. Do you have the brains to figure this out? Maybe not. You’re not an Aquino.
— Aurora Pijuan (@aupijuan) June 15, 2020
