Court junks libel suit vs GenSan journalist

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—The City Prosecutor’s Office here junked the P18-million libel suit filed by a friend of world boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao against a local journalist.

City Chief Prosecutor Edilberto Jamora recommended the dismissal of the libel complaint filed by Mohamad “Bong” Aquia against freelance journalist Edwin Espejo, in a resolution dated June 29.

“There is no convincing proof presented by the complainant showing that the respondent was actuated by the desire to impeach his integrity and reputation. As the respondent said, the remarks merely restate or report the pronouncements of the Highway Patrol Group about the complainant’s alleged involvement in a car syndicate,” an excerpt of Jamora’s resolution stated.

Aquia, also a former chief of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group in Mindanao, filed the libel case against Espejo in February this year.

Aquia sought P10 million in moral damages, P5 million in exemplary damages and P3 million in lawyers’ fees for the “enormous shock and awe resulting to sleepless nights and besmirched reputation” he claimed he had suffered.

Aside from Aquia, Pacquiao also filed a separate P75-million libel case against Espejo involving the same news articles which were published in online media.

The City Prosecutor’s Office here has yet to come up with a resolution on Pacquiao’s multimillion libel suit, which the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has branded as harassment.

Pacquiao sued Espejo for three counts of libel and sought P20 million in exemplary damages and another P5 million in attorney’s fees for each count.

Espejo said he was “glad the prosecutor agreed with me that there was no malice in the article.” Aquiles Z. Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao