The materials are part of reporting on a matter of public interest, specifically the handling of government scholarship funds and student benefits.

CEBU CITY – A Cagayan de Oro (CDO)-based journalist was subpoenaed over a complaint alleging violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Data Privacy Act in connection with a report on alleged delays in allowances for city scholars.

The complaint was filed by Richel Petalcurin-Dahay, acting head of the City Education and Development Office, after RMN/iFM CDO published a Facebook post citing a student grievance on delayed tuition reimbursements and scholarship allowances, followed by another post that included screenshots of a Messenger exchange between her and news director Menzie Montes.

The issue stems from earlier concerns raised about delays in the release of benefits for city scholarship recipients. Montes and Petalcurin-Dahay communicated via Messenger to arrange an interview on the matter, with both parties initially agreeing to meet.

However, before the interview took place, the station published a post featuring an anonymously submitted student complaint, prompting further exchanges between the journalist and the city official. Petalcurin-Dahay later withdrew from the interview, stating that the office would only address concerns from “identifiable” students.

Tensions escalated when iFM CDO published a follow-up post containing screenshots of the Messenger conversation. Petalcurin-Dahay said that the publication of private exchanges and screenshots breached her right to privacy and violated journalism ethics.

Montes said that the materials are part of reporting on a matter of public interest, specifically the handling of government scholarship funds and student benefits.

The Office of the City Prosecutor issued a subpoena dated April 15, 2026 directing Montes to submit a counter-affidavit as it conducts preliminary evaluation of the complaint.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) CDO said that the case reflects a growing pattern of public officials invoking cybercrime and data privacy laws in response to reporting on government services, particularly when online exchanges are involved.

“Public servants should not be too onion-skinned when facing issues involving public interest, as they are accountable to the people for their actions, decisions, and use of public resources,” NUJP CDO said in a statement. “We reiterate that cases like this might have a chilling effect, affecting journalists’ work in covering critical issues that are essential for the general public to know.”

The group also urged media organizations and press freedom advocates to support Montes and call for the dismissal of the complaint, saying it raises broader concerns over the use of legal mechanisms against journalism on matters of public interest. (RTS, DAA)

Disclosure: Ronalyn V. Olea is the secretary general of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and the editor-in-chief of Bulatlat.

The post Journalist faces complaint over screenshots used in news report appeared first on Bulatlat.

From Bulatlat via This RSS Feed.