TACLOBAN CITY– After nearly nine years, during which the case was handled by four judges, the court has acquitted Roel ‘Will’ Amazona, correspondent of this paper.
“Wherefore, postulates considered, this court resolved to acquit the accused for failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” Judge Carlos Arguelles, presiding judge of RTC-Branch 8, this city, said in his decision issued Monday, January 20, 2025.
Aside from writing for Leyte Samar Daily Express, Amazona also works at RMN Tacloban and Philippine News Agency.
“After almost nine arduous years, several sleepless nights, and anxiety attacks, this case is finally over. I can finally breathe deeply and get a haircut. I haven’t had one since this case was filed. Now that I’ve been acquitted, I’ll finally get a haircut,” Amazona said.
He also described the case as an act of harassment by the complainant, stating, “This is purely harassment—harassment by the complainant against me and other media practitioners since I’m not the only one she filed a case against.”
The cyber libel case against Amazona was filed by Miriam Desecada, a former correspondent of this paper.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Desacada in 2016.
Amazona recalled being warned about the complainant’s plan to file a case against him but did not take it seriously as he could not recall doing anything wrong to her.
“Although I am acquitted, I’m not entirely happy because the court also ordered me to pay damages to the complainant, which shocked me. So now, I don’t know whether to celebrate or not,” Amazona admitted.
The court ordered Amazona to pay P100,000 in moral and exemplary damages to the complainant.
“I’ve already discussed this with my lawyer, and I fully trust them to explore any possible remedies regarding this aspect of the decision,” he added.
Amazona thanked those who stood by him throughout the ordeal, including his fellow journalists who showed unwavering support, individuals who provided moral encouragement, and his lawyers who defended him and proved his innocence in court.
“With this case finally over, my family will learn about the struggle I’ve gone through for nearly nine years. They’ll also understand why I suddenly grew my hair long. I never told them about the case, and I managed to keep it a secret until the court issued a favorable decision,” he shared.
