RULES ON VENUE IN LIBEL CASES

1.    General rule:  criminal action for libel may be filed with the RTC of the province or city where the libelous article is printed and first published

2.    If  the  offended  party  is  a  private  individual,  the  criminal  action may  also  be  filed  in  the  RTC  of  the  province  where  he  actually resided at the time of the commission of the offense

3.    If the offended party is a public officer whose office is in Manila at the time of the commission of the offense, the criminal action may be filed in the RTC of Manila

4.    If  the  offended  party  is  a  public  officer  whose  office  is  outside Manila, the action may be filed in the RTC of the province or city where he held office at the time of the commission of the offense