Libel complaint vs. Aquino won’t prosper—Palace

Former Iloilo Representative Augusto Syjuco Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang remains confident that the libel suit against President Benigno Aquino III would not prosper because of the chief executive’s immunity from suits.

“Habang ang isang Pangulo ay naglilingkod, na-establish na po ‘yan ng ating Korte Suprema sa maraming decided cases na bahagi na ng ating jurisprudence, na pinoprotektahan po ang nakaupong Pangulo ng bansa mula sa pagdedemanda,” Communications Secretary Herminio  Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing on Friday.

(While the President is serving, the Supreme Court has established in cases that the President is immune from suits as part of jurisprudence.)

Coloma added that the libel case filed by former Iloilo Representative Augusto Syjuco Jr. has also prescribed.

Coloma said libel has a prescriptive period of six months. This means the case should have been filed six months since the alleged violation was enacted.

Aquino’s Sona was held July 2013. The case should have been filed in January, but Syjuco filed it just this month, Coloma said.

“Kaya kung doon lang sa aspetong ‘yon ay prescribed na ‘yung alegasyon na ‘yon (Even in that aspect, the allegations have prescribed),” Coloma said.

Syjuco’s complaint before the Ombudsman stemmed from the allegedly libelous statements against Syjuco during his 2013 State of the Nation Address.

Aquino accused Syjuco as being behind the alleged overpricing of training materials in the Technical  Education and Skills Development Authority under the watch of Syjuco.

Syjuco maintained that there is no such presidential immunity under the 1987 Constitution.

Syjuco is facing six graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged P61-million overpricing in the purchase of Tesda training materials. The Sandiganbayan has issued a hold-departure-order against him.

Syjuco has repeatedly denied the charges.

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