Ex-SunStar Editor Posts Bail Over 'Unjust Vexation' Charge; Media Groups Slam Weaponization of Law

Marchel Espina, a national director of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and former editor-in-chief of SunStar Cebu, surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Negros Island Region field unit here on Friday. Espina immediately posted a ₱6,000 bail to avoid weekend detention.

The warrant was issued on Monday, July 13, by the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Batangas City. It names Espina and four others in connection with a December 2024 opinion article titled "Demonic Church Meddling in Politics," published during her tenure as editor.

The complaint was filed by Pedro Fajot Castillo, a district supervising minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in Batangas. Castillo alleged that the contributed piece caused him "annoyance, irritation, torment, distress, and disturbance." Under Article 287 of the Revised Penal Code, unjust vexation functions as a catch-all offense for behavior that distresses another person without justification.

Shrouded in Secrecy: Due Process Concerns

The case has sparked fierce backlash regarding judicial transparency. Espina revealed she only discovered the warrant’s existence on Wednesday evening, July 15, via colleagues.

"I was in complete shock," Espina said. She noted that she never received a prior subpoena or notice from prosecutors, depriving her of the opportunity to file a counter-affidavit before the criminal case was elevated to court.

The NUJP strongly condemned the lack of due process, pointing out that because Espina is based in Bacolod, filing the case in Batangas without proper notification effectively blindsided her.

"The filing of charges against Espina is clearly meant to intimidate her and the media community," the NUJP stated. "Any group or individual engaging in obvious political activities should not be onion-skinned when subjected to public scrutiny."

A Chilling Effect on the Press

Espina, who clarified that she did not write the contributed piece, emphasized that using criminal complaints to target editors for running opinion sections sets a dangerous precedent.

"As a journalist, I believe this case raises important concerns about the use of criminal complaints against journalists and editors in relation to their work," Espina said on July 17. "I also believe it has a chilling effect on press freedom."

State-led watchdogs have also weighed in. The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) called the charges "disturbing." In an official statement, the task force defended Espina, reiterating that "laws must never be weaponized to suppress journalists from performing their professional duties as truth-tellers."

Systematic Legal Harassment

According to the College Editors Guild of the Philippines–Negros Island Region (CEGP-NIR), Espina's case marks at least the fourth recorded legal attack on regional journalists in 2026 alone. Observers note a rising trend of using minor criminal offenses like unjust vexation to bypass the more stringent legal thresholds required for libel or cyberlibel complaints. Earlier this year, Bacolod-based radio station manager Erwin Delilan was similarly arrested twice on unnotified unjust vexation charges filed by local politicians.

Espina’s legal team, led by attorney Abegail Bayona, managed to secure her release just minutes before the court cashier closed at 5:00 PM on Friday. Espina has vowed to fight the charges through proper legal channels, though the venue layout means she will now be forced to travel across provinces to attend upcoming arraignment hearings in Batangas.