Former SunStar Cebu and SunStar Bacolod Editor-in-Chief Marchel Espina voluntarily surrendered to authorities and posted bail on Friday, July 17, in connection with an unjust vexation case.
The charge, filed before a Batangas court, stems from an opinion piece written by a contributor and published in SunStar Cebu in December 2024.
Espina surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Negros Island Region in Bacolod City and posted a bail of ₱6,000.
She was accompanied by her legal counsel, Atty. Abegail Bayona.
Espina said she is fully cooperating with the legal process and issued a brief statement following her surrender.
“I am voluntarily surrendering today because I respect the rule of law and the legal process. I intend to answer the allegations through the proper judicial channels,” Espina said.
She explained that the case involves an opinion article published in 2024 during her tenure as the editor-in-chief of SunStar Cebu.
“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. I also believe it has a chilling effect on press freedom,” Espina said.
“Journalists and editors should never be intimidated or silenced for carrying out their professional duties in good faith. While every person has the right to seek legal remedies, the legal process should never be used to discourage independent journalism and reporting in the public interest,” she added.
Espina emphasized her continued commitment to responsible journalism and the defense of press freedom.
She also expressed her gratitude to her lawyer, her colleagues, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), her family, friends, and everyone who have “reached out and stood by me during this time.”*
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