ILOILO CITY –– The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld with finality the libel conviction of Iloilo blogger and former provincial administrator Manuel “Boy” Mejorada concerning his social media posts accusing Sen. Franklin Drilon of corruption.
In a resolution issued on September 2, the SC’s Special Second Division denied Mejorada’s motion for reconsideration on the June 10 decision of the High Court that affirmed a decision of the Court of Appeals.
The Court of Appeals had upheld Mejorada’s conviction by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) in 2017 for four counts of libel about his social media and blog posts accusing Drilon of involvement in alleged irregularities in infrastructure projects in Iloilo.
The Pasay City RTC had sentenced Mejorada to a jail term from a minimum of two years, four months and one day to a maximum of four years and two months.
In its resolution dismissing Mejorada’s appeal, the High Court said there was “no substantial argument having been adduced to warrant the consideration sought.”
It said no further pleadings would be entertained by the High Court and ordered the issuance of entry of final judgment on the case.