The recent libel case filed by the Department of Justice (could also be INJUSTICE) may have been triggered by the statement of Bishop Oscar Cruz that he will not give to communion to a public sinner like Gloria Arroyo. Irked, the administration used its reliable tool to get back and silence at its critics-libel.

This law has been repeatedly abused. It is no longer used to redress a grievance but a weapon against perceived enemies of the government. Accordingly, Bishop Cruz committed libel when he described lady marketing assistants of Pagcor as like GROs. The DOJ said GRO by contemporary cultural standards has become synonymous and used sparingly or alternately with the words “hostess, bar girl and prostitutes and to described women as such imputes dishonor to them” That’s a big BS! Contemporary cultural standards? Wtf! Is that a well defined and universally accepted standard to speak of? Or the DOJ was just making it up from thin air to justify filing the case against the good bishop?

I have seen a lot of karaoke bars, and other similar establishments posting notices as “Wanted GRO’s”. If DOJ has its way the said notices of the said establishments reads as “Wanted Prostitutes.” Or how about newspaper notices about some establishments accepting GROs? Why no publisher has been charged for publishing that job vacancy notices if that were libelous?

The libel case against Bishop Cruz is one of the long lines of examples of how the laws of this country are twisted, and bastardized to suit the thirst for vindictiveness of some individuals in power. Which is made much worse if their claims to legitimacy is constantly in serious doubt.