Negros Occidental journalist arrested over ‘satirical poem’

After criticizing two Negros Occidental public officers in a poem, journalist Erwin “Ambo” Delilan faces yet one more case of unjust vexation

CEBU, Philippines – Negros Occidental police arrested journalist Erwin “Ambo” Delilan on Monday, February 16, for unjust vexation in relation to a poem criticizing the provincial authorities’s actions within the aftermath of Hurricane Tino (Kaelmegi) in late 2025.

That is the second time that Delilan was arrested on fees of unjust vexation throughout the yr. The primary was on January 19, which stemmed from a grievance filed by Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Reyfrando Diaz II.

“Sure, I have to be candid, I used to be arrested by operatives of the Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Unit (RACU), Monday, February 16, however posted P6,000 bail (for 3 counts at P2,000/every) instantly,” Delilan mentioned on his Fb submit on Tuesday, February 17.

Based mostly on the data filed earlier than the Regional Trial Department 62 in Bago Metropolis, Negros Occidental, the premise of the newest unjust vexation grievance was Delilan’s social media submit on November 28, 2025, that “wilfully and unlawfully aggravated” and vexed non-public complainant Charina Magallanes Tan.

Tan is the provincial data officer of Negros Occidental and govt assistant to Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson. Delilan instructed Rappler on Tuesday afternoon that Tan can also be a witness in his earlier unjust vexation case.

“They want to demean me publicly by submitting these [cases of] unjust vexation as a result of they may not, not even prosecutors, show the libelousness [of the post],” Delilan mentioned in a cellphone interview.

Delilan, a contributor to Rappler and supervisor of Bacolod Metropolis-based radio station Hapi FM, is understood for his Binalaybay — a time period for Hiligaynon poems — on his social media web page that serves as his commentaries on points like corruption in authorities.

Delilan defined that the grievance referred to his satire poem entitled Asin sa Pilas, Binalaybay ni Ambo, which interprets to “salt on wound, poem by Ambo.”

Within the poem, Delilan criticized the Negros Occidental governor for boasting the thousands and thousands of pesos earned in taxes and costs from quarrying operations within the province amid doubts that the identical quarrying contributed to extreme floods there throughout the wake of Hurricane Tino (Kalmaegi).

“Did [his] data officer, Cha-Cha Magallanes Tan, transient the governor on the professionals and cons or  affect of the story re: quarry? Is Magallanes Tan conscious of an idiomatic expression including salt to the wound?” the court docket data cited from the poem.

For this, Tan accused Delilan of unjust vexation via data and communications know-how. On Monday, February 16, at round 9 am, authorities served an arrest warrant in opposition to Delilan at his residence in EB Magalona city, Negros Occidental.

Harassment

For Delilan, the submitting of the case and serving of a warrant with out being knowledgeable of the cost was a type of harassment.

“Once more, I used to be not subpoenaed. Once more, I used to be not given an opportunity to file my counter affidavit, or endure preliminary investigation to air out my aspect/protection,” the journalist mentioned.

Jonathan de Santos, chairperson of the Nationwide Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), expressed concern over the case, highlighting the alarming nature of the grievance.

“Extra troubling is the obvious lack of due course of in not even understanding he was being charged,” the NUJP chairperson instructed Rappler.

Beforehand, the NUJP mentioned that the primary case of unjust vexation filed in opposition to Delilan was “pure intimidation, harassment to silence him and the whole press.”

This time, the journalist disclosed that they are going to be submitting a case in opposition to his accusers earlier than the Workplace of the Ombudsman on Wednesday, February 18.

“Since that is now a case earlier than the Regional Trial Court docket Department 62 in Bago Metropolis, Negross Occidental, I’ve no alternative however to combat it out,” Delilan mentioned on Tuesday morning. – Rappler.com