THREE PERSONS WERE ARRESTED ON Sunday morning for allegedly giving out libelous materials against the son of a government official who is running for mayor in Los Baños town in Laguna.

Uldarico Malagueños, 25; Alberto G. Bernardo, 25; and Christopher B. Buena, 28, were arrested by PO2 Roberto Cansanay and PO1 Rodney Marasigan at around 11 a.m. at the Los Baños junction.

The three, who are members of a youth organization in Barangay San Antonio, allegedly reproduced a news article published in a tabloid on Oct. 25, which claimed that inmates from the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa were being registered as voters in Los Baños.

?It is libelous. They are causing damage to this town,? incumbent Mayor Ceasar Perez said in a phone interview. He denied giving the arrest order.

Anthony ?Ton? Genuino, son of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Chair Efrain Genuino, is reported to be running for mayor in Los Baños.

Perez, who is on his last term, has openly endorsed Genuino in the 2010 elections.

?We have been asked to be on a lookout (for these people) until this morning that they were again distributing (the news clipping),? Los Baños police chief Supt. Chito Bersaluna said when asked if it was Perez who gave the order.

?The police were all shrugging their shoulders this morning. When they brought (the three) to Bay (a nearby town) for drug test, we became even more worried. That?s arbitrary detention,? said a concerned citizen who requested not to be identified.

But Bersaluna said it was standard operating procedure for arrested persons to undergo a medical checkup. He denied that they were subjected to a drug test.

?The lawyers of Chairman Genuino are already preparing the charges. They are accessory (to a libelous act),? said Bersaluna.

The Inquirer tried to reach Genuino on his mobile phone but it was turned off. The three were detained at the Los Baños jail.