The National Press Club (NPC) of the Philippines on Thursday expressed concern over the arrest of veteran reporter Misael "Boy" Gonzales from radio station DZRH and called on authorities to ensure that due process and constitutional protections for press freedom are upheld.
The arrest stemmed from a complaint filed by Manila councilor Rosalino Ibay Jr., a retired police colonel, who alleged that Gonzales violated Section 25 of the Data Privacy Act of 2012 after publishing a copy of a warrant of arrest. The complaint followed Gonzales’ earlier report citing details from a warrant issued in September 2025 by the Manila RTC Branch 4 against Ibay for alleged lascivious conduct under Section 5(b) of Republic Act No. 7610.
In a statement, the NPC pointed out that a related complaint filed under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 had earlier been dismissed by the court due to insufficient evidence. The court ruling affirmed that Gonzales based his broadcast reports on court records.
“The arrest of a journalist over a report anchored on official documents raises serious concerns about the potential chilling effect on press freedom and the ability of media practitioners to report on matters involving public officials and allegations of wrongdoing,” the NPC said.
The press group urged authorities to ensure that due process is strictly observed and that the constitutional guarantees protecting freedom of the press are upheld.
“Journalists must be able to perform their duty of informing the public without fear of intimidation or undue legal harassment, particularly when reporting on issues of legitimate public interest,” it added.
The NPC also called on all parties to "respect the role of the media in a democratic society" and allow the legal process to proceed in a way that safeguards both accountability and the fundamental rights of the press.
The group also noted that Gonzales’ report cited official court records and dealt with matters of public interest.
