SC imposes graver penalty on psychological violence done via social media
The Supreme Court ruled that psychological violence inflicted via social media warrants a graver penalty under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
In a Resolution written by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, the high court's first division affirmed an October 2025 decision convicting an individual for committing psychological violence against his ex-girlfriend through derogatory statements on Facebook.
The SC raised the penalty by one degree, taking into consideration that the offense was done through a social media platform.
"[The] law imposes a higher penalty because the use of ICT can enable offenders to evade liability, reach more victims, or cause greater harm," a press release by the high court read.
In the case, the man claimed that his ex-girlfriend caused his mother's heart attack and called her a "dirty woman and an animal" in other posts. He hurled other insults in the comment section of his public post.
This came after the man allegedly harassed the woman while visiting the daughter they shared. She blocked him on social media after the incident.
Fearing for her safety, the ex-girlfriend filed a complaint against the man for violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004.
During the trial, the man denied owning the account and claimed that someone used a photo of him, his child, and his current live-in partner for the profile picture. The Family Court and the Court of Appeals found him guilty after the man and his partner were able to identify the people in his profile photo.
The SC affirmed the conviction and upheld the punishment against the man.
The high court also junked the man's motion for reconsideration, ruling that "his authorship of the Facebook post was established beyond reasonable doubt."
Furthermore, it ruled that all the elements of psychological violence under Section 5(i) of the Anti-VAWC Act were present.
A higher degree of punishment was applied, as the use of ICT was alleged in the criminal information and was proven during the trial.
He was sentenced to six years and one day to 14 years, eight months, and one day in prison, fined P100,000, and ordered to undergo psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment.