CITIZENS who criticize the errors in the self-learning modules of the Department of Education cannot be slapped with libel, a media law and ethics expert from the University of the Philippines said.

In a radio interview, Atty. Marichu Lambino, a UP Mass Communication faculty member, said that criticizing the modules because of errors is not libelous.

“Hindi po ito libelous dahil mayroong substantial na basis na punahin ‘yung DepEd kahit hindi (sila) ‘yung author dahil tungkulin nito na tiyakin na hindi mali ‘yung mga pinalaganap na kaalaman,” she said.

Lambino issued the clarification after Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that people who spread “malicious” claims on DepEd’s learning materials may face criminal charges such as cyberlibel.

“We will be ready to help if there is evidence tending to show the false and malicious character of these allegations about the agency’s learning modules,” Guevarra said.

“For example, if the false claim about a module is directly attributed to a certain person with no manifest intent but to ridicule or malign him or her, the latter may have cause to file a complaint for libel or cyber libel, as the case may be,” he added.

Guevarra weighed in on the issue after Education Secretary Leonor Briones sought the Justice department’s help in identifying netizens who maliciously blame Deped for the errors in the modules.

Briones clarified that some of the erroneous modules did not come from the central office.

However, Lambino pointed out that it is DepEd’s obligation to supervise and review all learning modules before it reaches the learners.

“Ang trabaho po ng DepEd ay pamahalaan o i-oversee ‘yung lahat ng learning and educational materials ba gagamitin sa education… Hindi niya po pwedeng hugasan ang kanyang kamay at sabihin na ay hindi wala kaming kinalaman diyan, ‘yan ay isang falsehood o kasinungalingan, mayroon pong tungkulin ang Department of Education na iwasto ‘yun,” Lambino said.

“Ayon sa ating tinatawag na privilege communication na isang depensa sa libel normally kapag mayroon kang pinintasan, ayun eh libelous per se pero mayroon defense diyan, ‘yung tinatawag na privilege communication, so ‘pag commentary po kapag po ‘yung paksa ay pampublikong interes o kapag po ito ay tungkol sa administering an educational institution, so mayroong mga listahan doon ng acts of public officials. Ito po ay paksa na pwedeng magkomento… pangalawang requirement po ay mayroong batayan sa katotohanan,  ibig sabihin po mayroong material na nag-eexist  na iyong kinokomento at pangatlo, ito po ay honest opinion or totoo mong opinyon iyon at hindi mo ito ginagawa para lang binayaran ka para manira kung hindi ‘yun eh ‘yung honest opinion,” she explained.