NBI files cyberlibel complaint vs. Jay Sonza, Eric Celiz

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday announced that it had filed a cyberlibel complaint against former broadcaster Jay Sonza and social media personality Eric Celiz for allegedly spreading false medical information about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a statement, the NBI said it filed the complaint for cyberlibel and unlawful use of means of publication with the Department of Justice.

The bureau said Sonza posted the claims on Facebook, while Celiz published content on his YouTube channel.

According to the NBI, agents documented online posts featuring a supposed CT scan alongside images of Marcos in January, which called for transparency about his “fitness for duty” and an alleged “detoriation” of his condition.

“Although the original Facebook posts were eventually deleted or restricted, the NBI secured evidence using digital forensic screenshots and by tracking the content as it continued to spread via reposts and citations,” the bureau said.

“Simultaneously, surveillance of the ‘Ka Eric Celiz’ YouTube channel uncovered videos that further amplified these claims, questioning the President's ability to lead based on unverified medical documents,” it added.

In January, a document circulated online regarding the president’s supposed health. Malacañang Palace condemned the claims, calling them “fabricated and malicious.”

This followed Marcos being placed under medical observation at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City due to diverticulitis, an inflammation of bulging pouches in the wall of the large intestine.

Meanwhile, NBI Director Lito Magno said the bureau respects the right to free speech, but this does not grant a license to infringe on the rights of others.

In a Facebook post, Sonza said his lawyers have been notified of the filing of the complaint and will "exhaust all our constitutional rights and legal avenues to face whatever negative information filed against me."

He noted that then Philippine National Police chief Nicolas Torre III and Senator Risa Hontiveros also filed cyber libel and inciting to sedition complaints against him and "all charges were dismissed by the National Prosecution Office, Department of Justice."

"I would not like to think that this is part of another harassment and an attempt to silence a retired journalist and a senior citizen to freely speak his mind as guaranteed by the 1987 Constitution, other pertinent laws and jurisprudence," he said.

Meanwhile, in a press statement, Celiz denounced the cyberlibel complaint filed against him by the NBI, saying the public’s demand for transparency regarding the health of the President is a matter of national interest and not a crime.

He described the move as “alarming” and raised concerns over what he called the state of freedom of expression in the country.

“The demand by the people for transparency and real information on the health status of Marcos Jr. as President of the Philippines is a matter of national interest,” Celiz said.

“Such oppressive and seemingly tyrannical schemes being employed by the NBI and other government law enforcement agencies can be perceived as a deliberate government attempt to silence dissent and discourage open discourse,” he noted.

He further claimed that the move reflects what he described as a broader pattern of harassment against individuals who question or criticize government narratives, especially on matters where transparency is being demanded.

According to Celiz, when citizens fear legal repercussions for raising concerns, it undermines democratic principles of accountability and free speech.

“It is always essential for government bodies to foster an environment where citizens feel safe to express their opinions without fear of retaliation,” he said, stressing that open public discourse is crucial in a functioning democracy.

Celiz also drew parallels between the present situation and what he called “Marcosian apparatus of tyranny and oppression” during the period of Martial Law, warning against what he described as the “selective and calculated restoration” of such components under the current administration. —with a report from Sherylin Untalan/MCG/AOL, GMA Integrated News