Explain criticism, judge tells Leo

TWO media practitioners were ordered to show up in court tomorrow to explain the statements they supposedly made against Cebu City Regional Trial Court Judge Raphael Yrastorza.

Yrastorza, who expressed disgust over what he said were contemptuous insinuations made on his decision to convict tri-media personality Leo Lastimosa of libel, scheduled the proceedings at 8:30 a.m.

“After the judgment of this court was promulgated, accused (Lastimosa) and one of his witnesses (Sun.Star Cebu public standards consultant Pachico Seares) insinuated that the presiding judge is unfair/biased because: the judge knows the Garcias; and the judge received allowance from the province,” Yrastorza said.

Yrastorza ordered both Lastimosa and Seares to explain why they should not be cited for indirect contempt for supposedly “degrading the dignity of this court.”

The judge said the two journalists tend to influence the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) through their accusations.

Lastimosa, manager of radio station dyAB and anchorman of TV Patrol Central Visayas, was convicted of libel by the court for maligning former Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia in his column in The Freeman newspaper.

Lastimosa was ordered to pay a P6,000 fine and P2 million in damages to Garcia. /Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol