VIRAC, Catanduanes — The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 93 in Quezon City has dismissed the cyber libel case filed against Catanduanes Governor Patrick Alan T. Azanza after finding no sufficient judicial probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest and proceed with trial.
In a 17-page Order signed by Presiding Judge Cherry Chiara Lide L. Hernando on June 11, 2026, the court stated that after conducting an independent evaluation of the evidence presented by the prosecution, it failed to find sufficient basis to believe that Azanza committed Cyber Libel under Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, in relation to Articles 353 and 355 of the Revised Penal Code.
The complaint was filed by Powerzone Petroleum Products Corporation through its representative, Jeric O. Cua, in connection with a Facebook post allegedly published by Azanza on July 25, 2025, through his official public Facebook account, “Patrick Azanza.”
In the post, Azanza questioned the allegedly high electricity rates in Catanduanes despite the decline in petroleum prices. He also mentioned the alleged supply arrangement between SUWECO and Powerzone, including claims that fuel supplies supposedly passed through Powerzone even though Uni-oil was allegedly the principal supplier.
The post likewise referred to long-standing allegations regarding Powerzone’s alleged connections to the family of former governors and vice governors in the province, as well as the possible existence of a conflict of interest due to the company’s role as fuel supplier to SUWECO during their tenure.
According to the prosecution, the statements were intended to damage the reputation of Powerzone and Cua by implying their alleged involvement in fuel supply manipulation, profiteering, and the use of political influence for personal gain.
However, after personally and independently reviewing the Information, prosecutor’s resolution, complaint-affidavit, witness affidavits, screenshots of the Facebook post, and other supporting documents, the RTC ruled that the evidence was insufficient to establish the elements of cyber libel.
The court emphasized that it is constitutionally mandated under Rule 112 of the Rules of Court to independently evaluate evidence before issuing a warrant of arrest and cannot merely rely on the findings of prosecutors.
The RTC explained that for cyber libel to prosper, the prosecution must clearly establish the elements of defamatory imputation, publication, identification of the offended party, and malice.
The court noted, however, that the statements in Azanza’s Facebook post were largely framed as questions or interrogatories and did not directly accuse the complainant of any crime or immoral act.
“Even when taken at face value, [the statements] cannot reasonably be construed as imputing the commission of a crime, or the existence of a vice, defect, or condition of a discreditable nature,” a portion of the ruling stated.
The court further observed that the prosecutor’s resolution appeared to rely mainly on the complainant’s and witnesses’ interpretations of the Facebook post rather than conducting an objective examination of the actual language and context used.
According to the RTC, affidavits from individuals claiming they developed a negative perception of the complainant after reading the post were insufficient to prove defamatory imputation.
“Criminal liability for libel cannot rest solely upon the individual impressions or personal interpretations of readers but must be grounded on the defamatory character of the publication as objectively determined from its language and context,” the court said.
The RTC also ruled that screenshots showing reactions, shares, comments, and other social media engagement metrics did not prove cyber libel but merely indicated the extent of the post’s circulation online.
The court stressed that public reaction cannot substitute for proof of the legal elements required to establish criminal liability.
Overall, the RTC held that the prosecution’s evidence merely demonstrated how the complainant and some readers interpreted the Facebook post, but failed to prove that the publication itself contained clear and explicit defamatory statements sufficient to constitute criminal liability.
As a result, the RTC ordered the outright dismissal of the criminal case against Azanza pursuant to Section 5(a), Rule 112 of the Rules of Court.
“After undertaking such independent evaluation, the Court finds that the evidence presently on record fails to establish judicial probable cause,” the decision further stated.
Apart from dismissing the case, the court also ruled that there was no sufficient basis to issue a warrant of arrest or require the governor to stand trial.
The case was docketed as Criminal Case No. R-QZN-26-04924-CR and was filed before the Quezon City RTC on May 6, 2026. | Ferdir M. Brizo | Bicol Peryodiko Integrated News
