MANILA, Philippines -- A newspaper publisher was arrested Thursday and was brought to the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame, Quezon City over a nine-year-d libel case filed by former government officials.

Jake Macasaet, 72, of Malaya was arrested by operatives of the Detective and Special Operations Division (DSOD) of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), as he was having lunch at the Century Park Hotel in Manila, said CIDG public information officer Felix Vargas.

The warrant of arrest, which was served by Senior Superintendent Benedicto Gorospe, was issued by Judge Emma Young of Branch 36 of the Manila regional trial court for a libel case filed against Macasaet by former Rizal governor Casimiro Ynares and Narciso Santiago, husband of Senator Miriam Santiago.

The libel case stemmed from Macasaet's column over the low profits earned by a cock derby allegedly sponsored by Ynares and Santiago.

Macasaet was detained for over an hour inside the office of Senior Superintendent Benny Estipona, deputy director for operations, after undergoing a brief investigation.

Macasaet posted P10,000 bail at the Manila RTC Thursday afternoon.

When asked to comment on the matter, he said, ?I am not a convict.?