Fashionista

I was just wondering if anybody visits my blog.

So if you read this just give a comment/shout out about anything at all ^_^

Upon hearing the assignment in one of my elective classes I was instantly inspired to be an overnight detective. We were assigned to prove whether a certain Malu Fernandez was innocent or not. The society page writer seemed one the wrong side of the argument because what she did was ethically wrong and the fact that she is not an opinion page writer makes it worse. The article published in the June issue of People Asia was entitled “From Greece to Boracay”. Searched high and low for a scanned copy of the article and I was shocked to see an article written in this manner. She probably wrote those malicious opinions in the article because she may have grown up in a very rich family and may be being seated in less than business class is a living hell for her. I believe we all have our rights to voice out opinions and in every article with a personal opinion there are people who are targeted by the witter, consciously or not. But where do we draw the line on voicing out an opinion and libel? Libel is defined in the revised penal code as a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status or circumstance tending to discredit or cause the dishonor or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead. If we take this very its very basic form, libel is anything written that is malicious and dishonoring. If we take Malu Fernandez and look at her faults she can be sued with libel but that is if we take the definition of libel to its extremes which, at times may not be used in court.
My opinion, Malu Fernandez was not an opinion page writer so she might have not had the right to state opinions in the matter she did. There was malice in what she wrote even if she could prove the truth in her article. There were no good intentions in the statements that she made. Why didn’t the editor check her article? It was written in a very one-sided way which may not make it a very credible article.
It states in the revised penal code ART. 355. Libel by means of writings or similar means. - A libel committed by means of writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, theatrical exhibition, or any similar means, shall be punished by prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods or a fine ranging from 200 to 6,000 pesos, or both, in addition to the civil action which may be brought by the offended party.
Prision correccional, suspension, distiero. - The duration of the penalties of the prision correccional, suspension and distiero shall be from six months and one day to six years, except when suspension is imposed as an accessory penalty, in which case, its duration shall be that of the principal penalty.
Libel is part of Crimes Against Honor and it clearly states that any printed statement that dishonors a natural or juridical person is libelous.
A public apology was made by Malu after receiving hate mail, death threats and violent reactions on the internet toward her article. Apologies may work for the little things or for a few people but this is a large scale fiasco and there are times apologies just don’t work the way they used to.
In fairness to Malu the responds themselves were libelous but the sad part is that internet messages are virtually impossible to track.
To Malu and the people who sent their violent reaction, may justice be serve to those who deserve it.