Summoned by NBI for a libel suit on a forum

I got the subpoena last Monday and it came from the National Bureau of Investigation which is investigating an alleged libel in a forum I used to help manage.

Ur-urayen, ti summons ket bassit a nalawag isu nga saan ko a maawatan unay agingga itatta kalpasan ti pannakaitungtong iti opisina ti NBI Cybercrime and Fraud Division. Ti umuna a panunotko ket kasla paset daytoy ti sabali a kaso a adda ita (kasla met laeng a kasla) isu nga kinailangan ko a ited dagiti abogado ko a makipagkita.

Apparently, some members of the forum were posting allegedly libelous statements in the message boards against a huge real-estate company. They claim that these statements have affected their worldwide sales which is why they're hunting down the ones who posted those messages.

Though it turned out to be some mis-understanding and my name was just included because I was part of the forum many years back. I no longer have any involvement with that site for such a long time so we just had to send in an affidavit to formalize that and close it from my end.

My friend who still runs that site up to now was with me in the meeting and he's willing to cooperate with NBI if the complainants want to pursue the case.

So, while this one is a relief for me, I'm still up in a legal battle on another case. Another story for another day. Ahh, and I thought it's only in the US where people file cases to milk some money off other people.

Why was the author summoned by the NBI?

The NBI is investigating alleged libelous statements posted in a forum against a real-estate company.

Was the author still involved with the forum at the time of the incident?

The author no longer had any involvement with the site for a long time.

What action did the author take to resolve the issue?

The author sent in an affidavit to formalize that they were no longer involved with the forum.

React to this article:

23 Comments

kenshin · 13 years ago

Is there such in thing as libel case in forum? EVen in forum section, is no one safe? Why? What the heck are they trying to run their money just to catch this poor?

melpflams · 17 years ago

MESSAGE

coifieninop · 17 years ago

JC John SESE Cuneta · 20 years ago

Icky, they can still sue you.

One piece of advice to all. Never use the word “Disclaimer” it is NON-EXISTENT and NOT HONORED.

The use of disclaimer started with fansites and illegal sharing of mp3s. The open-source community and gaming communities started to use the word. Soon, other newly born net companies started using that word too.

But even after 10 years of usage, the word “disclaimer” is still not being honored and is non-existent in any laws around the world.

Use another word, just not the word “disclaimer”. Even so, people with “money” can sue you if they want to, they have attorneys who will bend the law just to milk money from you.

Especially in the Philippines… it all comes down to your network and connections, that’s our society.

elmer · 20 years ago

“They claim that these statements have affected their worldwide sales which is why theyâ€™re hunting down the ones who posted those messages.”

This is great idea, and they believed that this lawsuit might help boost their worldwide sales?? i won’t be surprise if one of this days this story would end up in my in-box or in another blog. What dumb excuse IMO!

Icky · 20 years ago

Hmmmm…. just made a note to myself to always express an opinion whenever I post derogatory comments in blogs, then they can’t sue.

something like “I think that real estate company doesn’t really have a good product for them to run after bloggers to protect their business. I also think that they’re being stupid to have a business model that relies on running after these people (to protect their sales?). If I’m the owner of that business I’d fire the guy who came up with the idea and if I’m the stupid guy who came up with the idea, i’d relinquish day to day operations to someone competent!” He he he.