PCSO chief sues California vlogger

PCSO GM Melquiades Robles —Faith Argosino/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Melquiades Robles has sued US-based Claire Contreras for several counts of defamation and invasion of privacy before a California court.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Robles revealed that he and his wife Sherwil recently filed defamation, defamation per see, and false light invasion of privacy against Contreras at the Central District Court of California.

Based on their 23-page complaint sent to reporters, the Robles couple filed the case on July 15 through their lawyers, Camille Vasquez and Honieh Udenka.

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“This is a case about a social media personality who willfully and knowingly spreads malicious lies about others, in the hope of raising her profile, achieving celebrity status and monetizing her defamatory posts,” read the Robleses’ complaint.

The PCSO chief told reporters that the charges that he and his wife filed were a “quest for justice” and to defend their names amid the allegations hurled against him by Contreras through her videos on her YouTube channel “Boldyak TV.”

“For almost a year now, we have been subjected by Ms Contreras’ almost daily barrage of vicious, unjustifiable and blatantly false online attacks,” Robles said, adding that these “false online attacks” were made through Contreras’ YouTube channel.

Unsubstantiated

Among the allegations by Contreras were the alleged manipulation of winners in the lottery of the PCSO, the alleged corruption in the agency, and even one allegation that he was “assisting terrorists.”

But Robles denied the allegations, saying these statements from Contreras were aimed at “tarnishing our characters” and that the allegations were “absolutely untrue, outlandish, malicious.”

‘Vile imaginations’

“For the longest time, we have tried to keep our peace, knowing fully well that all the accusations were nothing but sheer lies and fabrications that were the products of her vile imaginations,” Robles said.

“We are peace-loving and law-abiding citizens. We have done nothing wrong against her for us to earn her senseless rage … we have names and reputations to protect, especially my wife who is a private citizen and has dedicated herself to raising our children while also engaging in some philanthropic endeavors,” he said.

According to Robles’ complaint, the attacks against him began in December 2023 and since then, there have been 20 separate videos online in which Contreras accused him and his wife of a range of allegations, “from contract killing and assisting terrorists to stealing from the Filipino people.”

“Boldyak TV,” Contreras’ YouTube channel, has around 325,000 subscribers with over 1,200 videos posted.

Her channel also has a “store” selling T-shirts with prints that are critical of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and supportive of Vice President Sara Duterte.