LINGAYEN, Philippines -- Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz has no one else to blame but himself for the libel case lodged against him by the Department of Justice (DoJ), Malacañang said Thursday.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez said the prelate’s statements about the birthday party of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo in 2004 in which female employees of Pagcor allegedly acted as guest relations officers (GROs) were “malicious.”

“Why would he blame the Palace for something he irresponsibly did? It was his actions that had hurt people that put him in trouble,” said Golez.

The Palace spokesperson said that “it was very clear that the good bishop made statements that were found to be very malicious by the group of people who filed a libel suit against him.”

He said that “those whose dignities were hurt unnecessarily by the bishop would have the right to file charges against him as provided by our laws. At the same time our laws guarantee that he also has the right to defend himself in our courts.”

Golez said Cruz, a known anti-gambling crusader and a vocal critic of the Arroyo administration, should face the music.

“If found guilty, then he faces the consequences of his action,” he added.

At a press briefing, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the DoJ, which filed the case on behalf of the women employees of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), should be presumed to have conducted the investigation thoroughly.

Bunye said Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez should be the one to discuss the case, but said the filing of the case “comes after certain procedure has been taken, so we presume that the necessary investigation was conducted.”