Pormal na naghain ng patong-patong na kaso si South China Morning Post Senior Manila Correspondent Raissa Robles laban kay Senatorial aspirant at suspended lawyer Larry Gadon kaugnay ng umano’y pambabastos nito sa isang viral video, sabi ng mamamahayag nitong Martes, Pebrero 8.
Ayon sa abogado ni Robles na si Sandy Coronel sa panayam ng ANC, inihain ni Robles Quezon City Prosecution Office ang mga reklamong libel, cyber libel at paglabag sa RA 11313 o ang Safe Spaces Act o “Bawal Bastos Act” laban kay Gadon.
Dalawang video online ang isusumite ng kampo ni Robles para sa mga reklamong criminal kung saan umano’y nagbitaw ng 'misogynistic remarks' si Gadon at hayagang inakusahan nito ang mamamahayag bilang ‘purveyor of fake news.’
“I think what he did was too much,” sabi Robles habang binabanggit na kamakailan ay ilang ‘unwanted direct messages’ ang natanggap niya sa Facebook na nagsasabing dapat lang na natanggap niya ang ginawa ni Gadon.
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“I think no woman who wants to do political discourse in the internet deserves that kind of treatment ever,” dagdag ni Robles.
Habang naniniwala ang mamamahayag na sa pagde-decriminalize ng cyber libel laban sa mga mamahayag, hindi niya mapapalagpas ang kaso ni Gadon sa pagpupuntong may ‘thin line’ ang cyber libel bilang isang ‘weapon’ at ‘shield’ sa reputasyon ng isang indibidwal.
“The case of Gadon is exceptional,” ani Robles.
“The lawsuits are not just for me but for all women who want to engage in political discourse on the Internet but are instead subjected to vile, online sexual abuse,” dagdag ni Robles sa kanyang Facebook post.
Samantala, naniniwala ang mamamahayag na may ibang motibo ang umano’y pag-atake ni Gadon.
“I think Gadon is going to be used as a political weapon by the Marcos camp in this elections,” ani Robles.
Una nang dinepensahan ni Gadon ang kanyang sarili at sinabing purely personal ang binitawang pahayag. Gayunpaman, ang Safe Spaces Act ang tugon ng kampo ni Robles.
“This is a good opportunity to test the Safe Spaces Act. It is the policy of the sake to protect everybody in the online world; that you cannot use online communication for purposes undermining, terrorizing and even threatening other people,” ani Coronel.
“The country just held the Bar Exam. It is sickening to imagine Gadon as [an] example of what a lawyer is to those who took the exam. He is a terrible example, a terrible human being,” dagdag ni Robles.
Nauna nang sinuspendi ng Korte Suprema si Gadon.
