Leo: ‘I refused to be silenced, I stood my ground’

LOCAL media personality Leo Lastimosa was vocal abou t his sentiments following the guilty verdict handed down by the Cebu City Regional Trial Court on the libel complaint filed against him by former governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

“I submitted myself to this process and so I respect it as well as the decision of Judge Yrastorza. But we also respectfully disagree with his decision so we would use my right to appeal the decision to the CA (Court of Appeals) and point out some points which we view as not fair and not just. Hopefully, we could convince the CA to look into the side of the controversy,” he told reporters.

Lastimosa, who at some points got teary-eyed, told reporters the judge failed to see the whole picture.

“I would like to believe that the decision was made in a vacuum. It seems that the judge was just sitting on a pedestal and he doesn’t know the actual events,” he said.

“The actual events include the fact that Garcia offered to settle the case if I joined the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo. That is not the language of one who is aggrieved nor a sentiment of a public official who claimed to have sleepless nights due to this issue. If I joined the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo and praised her constantly, she’s willing to withdraw the case against me. I refused to be used. I stand by my ground,” he added.

Lastimosa, who has been a media practitioner since 1985, also took offense at Judge Raphael Yratorza’s statement blaming him for the continuous attacks made against Garcia even if the latter had already filed cases against him.

Unfair warning

“That’s an unfair warning to the media. He said I kept on attacking Garcia despite the charges filed by the former governor. Why, if journalists get sued, that does mean a warning for us? If I get charged, does that mean I have to close my mouth and fear the person who sued me?,” said Lastimosa who was the recipient of the 2006 Garbo sa Sugbo award given to him by the former governor.

“Apparently, that is what the judge wanted to happen. But I disagree with that kind of reasoning. One couldn’t simply shut up because he or she gets sued or gets convicted,” he added.

Gwen vindicated

The former governor, who is now representing the third district of Cebu in the House of Representative issued a brief reaction via text messaging.

“The decision of the case will speak for itself,” Garcia said when CDN sought for his reaction on the court decision.

Garcia’s counsel, Lito Astillero, said the court’s ruling is a vindication for his client.

“The court has spoken. It was proven that there was indeed a malicious imputation against the former governor. We feel that justice has been served,” Astillero told reporters.

Byron Garcia, the former governor’s brother, said he was “mischievously grinning” after hearing the court’s verdict.

“Ako ikasulti, Maayo ra na-convicto siya para na lang nako, bahala nato inyo ni Gwen, I don’t care, but i am jubilant and mischievously grinning of his conviction,” he said in a text message. /Ador Vincent Mayol with reports from Peter Romanillos and Jhunnex Napallacan