When the country hosted the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019, we knew that the narrative should not just be about world-class performances, national pride and Filipino hospitality. Instead, it should be about transparency and accountability, especially with billions of public funds involved.

But reporting on the flaws of the organizing body — the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Foundation Inc. (Phisgoc) — wasn’t easy.

While many chose to look the other way, we stood firm in our sacred duty of holding them accountable, choosing truth over convenience and shining a bright light on the controversies surrounding the Games, knowing that the public deserves to know where their money was spent.

Fighting for the truth, however, came with a price.

In retaliation for our series of exposes, Phisgoc chief operating officer Ramon “Tats” Suzara slapped us with multiple cyberlibel charges in November 2020. And to make sure that there will be conviction, he filed it in Taguig City — the bailiwick of his principal, Phisgoc chairman Alan Peter Cayetano.

The legal battle wasn’t easy. We gave countless interviews and provided documentary evidence to strengthen our defense. Then, we appeared at the Taguig City Hall at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Yes, all of us, from ranking executives to the editors down to the reporters — and even the sources we interviewed during our series of exposes. Some of us even contracted the deadly virus in a harrowing event that didn’t just test our emotional resolve but also put our lives at stake.

Yet, we did not back down. We stood our ground, faced the legal battle head on, and bore the brunt of the storm. Why? Because press freedom is not a privilege granted by officials; it is a constitutional right forged through courage and unflinching resolve. Facing criminal charges to bring out the truth about the SEA Games controversy was not just an ordeal — it was our duty.

Now, more than seven years later, the truth finally beckons. The National Bureau of Investigation is already neck-deep in its investigation to uncover the mystery behind the biggest scam in Philippine sports. It already issued a subpoena for Suzara and other Phisgoc executives to uncover the truth with its probe expected to wrap up within three weeks. Will justice be served? Hopefully.

Today, as we look back on that defining battle, the legal threats and intimidations serve not as a scar, but as a badge of honor.

The DAILY TRIBUNE remains unbowed and unafraid. No lawsuit, no matter how daunting, will ever deter us from seeking the truth, asking the tough questions, and being true to our responsibility of serving as the watchdog of the Filipinos — without fear, without favor.