Jimenez vs Reyes

Facts:
Defendant Fidel Reyes is an editor and proprietor of a newspaper. Plaintiff-appellant
Antonio Jimenez is a councilman and a lawyer. The defendant published an article describing the
plaintiff as ‘a miserable creature who used his profession to deceive unwary public and
encompass its ruin.’ Jimenez then instituted a civil action for libel against Reyes before the CFI.
In a subsequent article, the defendant wrote about the plaintiff’s private and professional
reputation and claimed that he had no intention to humiliate or reproach any specific individual
with the first article in question.

Issue:
WON the articles published are libelous.

Ruling:
Yes. "Praise undeserved is slander in disguise." (Pope, Epistles of Horace.) Common
sense would indicate to the average reader that the author's purpose was not praise. The comment
is insincere and intended to ridicule rather than praise the attorney referred to. We are clearly of
the opinion that this article also tends to expose the plaintiff to public contempt, hatred, and
ridicule.