The media should band together and fight the libel cases being filed by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo against their colleagues to prevent his moves from having a chilling effect on press freedom, House Minority Floor Leader Francis Escudero said yesterday.

Escudero, who is running for senator under the Genuine Opposition ticket, said in a press conference in Bacolod City that if the First Gentleman files a "libel case against one reporter today, who knows if it is going to be you or me against whom he will file a libel case the next day, or the following week or month."

"I hope the First Gentleman will be more reserved in so far as filing libel cases are concerned. I hope he would think once twice, thrice over before he does it," Escudero said.

If a street vendor and tricycle driver filed a libel case its effect would be different than if it is actually the First Gentleman filing because it would have a "chilling effect to the media in so far as writing things about him and his family are concerned," Escudero said.

Escudero said he hopes Arroyo would be more circumspect and reserved in filing libel cases. Arroyo on Tuesday filed an P11 million libel suit against the Philippine Daily Inquirer for an article published nearly a year ago which claimed that he flew to Mindanao to bribe election officials to manipulate the 2004 election results.

Arroyo has filed libel cases against 43 journalists from various publications.*CPG

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