Back

Philippine Journalists Inc. (People's Journal), et al. vs. Francis Thoenen

PHILIPPINE JOURNALISTS, INC. (PEOPLE'S JOURNAL), ZACARIAS NUGUID, JR. and CRISTINA LEE, Petitioners, versus FRANCIS THOENEN, Respondent.

G.R. No. 143372 | 2005-12-13

D E C I S I O N 


CHICO-NAZARIO, J.: 

For almost a century, this Court has sought that elusive equilibrium between the law on defamation on one hand, and the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of speech and press on the other. This case revisits that search. 

On 30 September 1990, the following news item appeared in the People's Journal, a tabloid of general circulation: 

Swiss Shoots Neighbors' Pets 

RESIDENTS of a subdivision in Parañaque have asked the Bureau of Immigration to deport a Swiss who allegedly shoots wayward neighbors' pets that he finds in his domain. 

The BF Homes residents through lawyer Atty....