VETERAN trimedia journalist and SunStar Cebu columnist Pablito “Bobby” Nalzaro posted bail on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, days after he was indicted by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office for two counts of cyberlibel.
Accompanied by lawyers Joan Baron and Althea Vergara, Nalzaro posted P80,000 bail for his temporary liberty at the sala of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Cebu City Branch 11 Judge Ramon Daomillas on Friday afternoon.
The two cyberlibel charges were filed before the RTC by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office on Sept. 18.
The indictment came as local journalists celebrate the 28th Cebu Press Freedom Week from Sept. 20 to Sept. 26.
The two cases stemmed from a complaint filed by Ramon Miguel Osmeña, son of former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, over Nalzaro’s alleged libelous columns in SunStar Cebu that were posted online on Oct. 10, 2018 and Oct. 14, 2018 respectively.
Separate libel cases were earlier also filed against Nalzaro for the printed versions of his two columns.
He also posted bail last year for the charges filed before the sala of RTC Cebu City Branch 5 Judge Ricky Jones Macabaya.
In his complaint, the younger Osmeña said Nalzaro maligned him when the latter wrote that he was involved in the illegal butane refilling business.
Miguel said Nalzaro was “unfair” in writing a column against him, a private citizen.
Nalzaro told SunStar Cebu that he and his lawyers plan to file a petition for review before the Department of Justice.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. (JKV)