Sitoy files P3.3M damage suit against 3 fishers, 2 lawyers

Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy filed a P3.3 million damage suit against two lawyers and three fishermen for allegedly destroying his reputation in an attempt to stop the municipality’s reclamation project.

The mayor, who has been criticized by environment advocates for pursuing  a 10-hectare reclamation project that is illegal and harmful to marine life,  requested the Regional Trial Court in Mandaue City to order the respondents to pay him P3 million in  moral damages, P200,000 as exemplary damages, and P100,000 as attorney’s fees.

“Because of defendant’s abrasive conspiracy to put the plaintiff down, the latter suffered mental anguish, sleepless nights, serious anxiety, loss of goodwill, besmirched reputation and social humiliation,” Sitoy said in his complaint.

Named respondents in the complaint were lawyers Dante Ramos and Santiago Ortiz Jr; and fishermen Cirilo Pagobo, Eduardo Quijano, and Alejandro Baguio.

In a phone interview, Ramos described the case filed against them as a “SLAPP” suit or strategic legal action against public participation, which is deemed illegal under new guidelines of environment laws.

“We’re trying to defend the fisherfolk. We are prepared for that (lawsuit),” he said.

Ramos said he hasn’t seen the complaint yet.

“He (Sitoy) has the right to do that. He can file whatever he wants,” he said.

Ramos is the husband of environment lawyer Gloria  Estenzo Ramos, who along with several fishermen, filed a complaint with the Visayas Ombudsman last month against Mayor Sitoy, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and several environment agency officials for violation of the Constitution and various laws in the Cordova reclamation project.

The group pointed out that the Philippine Reclamation Authority declared the project was undertaken without their permission.

Yesterday at least 50 people led by affected fishermen yesterday held a rally in Cordova,  Mactan island  to protest the town’s reclamation project and new roll-on-roll-off port.

Those who had openly opposed the project complained of being harassed by the mayor.

In his complaint yesterday, Mayor  Sitoy zeroed in on the three fishermen who had  filed a petition for the issuance of a writ of amparo wherein the fishermen alleged their lives were threatened by the mayor.

The three fishermen were assisted by lawyers Ramos and Ortiz in filing that petition.

They accused Sitoy of destroying the foreshore areas of Cordova through the reclamation project, a joint undertaking of Cordova town and the Cebu provincial government.

Sitoy  the allegations against him were fabricated, outrageous, unfair and untrue.

To add insult to injury, Sitoy said the residents announced the filing of the case against him before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas.

Last, April 10 Mandaue City RTC Judge Estela Alma Singco of Branch 55 denied the amparo petition filed against Sitoy and said the case was “closed and terminated.”

As Sitoy was filing his complaint, at least 50 fisherfolk from barangays San Miguel, Bangbang, Pilipog, Cogon and Camolinas together with  sympathizers from militant groups Pamana, Gabriela and Anakpawas held a rally protesting the reclamation project.

The protesters led by Danilo Canedo, deputy secretary of Pamana, and Victor La Paz, gathered at the Cordova Municipal Hall and marched to the reclamation site.

Quijano, one of the respondents in the suit and leader of the Camolinas fisherfolk, told Cebu Daily News during the rally that one of Sitoy’s men threatened him.

He quoted one of the mayor’s men as tellilng him “Ayaw pag-apil-apil ana kay delikado kaayo imong kinabuhi ana.” (Don’t join that, you’re taking a big risk with your life.)

Canedo and La Paz are not from Cordova town but Canedo said it doesn’t matter because the issue is about protecting the fishing grounds.

Canedo said the rally was part of the Earth Day celebration on Sunday and April being Earth month.

La Paz, for his part, said the Cordova project would affect the livelihood of fishermen and that  75 percent of the Cordova’s population depends on marine resources. /Ador Vincent S. Mayol, Reporter with a report from Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza