Answer
Yes. Defamation is a crime under the Revised Penal Code, but the offended party may also pursue a civil action for damages. Under Article 33 of the Civil Code, in cases of defamation, fraud, and physical injuries a civil action for damages — entirely separate and distinct from the criminal action — may be brought and proceeds independently, requiring only a preponderance of evidence.
This means a complainant may seek both criminal liability and civil damages for the same defamatory act, and the civil case need not wait for the outcome of the criminal case.
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