Veco union head sued for libel

A libel suit was filed in court yesterday against a labor union president who allegedly damaged the reputation of the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) and its executive vice president.

The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office elevated the case against Casmero Mahilum before the Regional Trial Court.

Bail was recommended at P10,000.

Mahilum, president of the Veco Employee’s Union, was cited for  statements in a Labor Day activity where he called the electric company “a gross violator of labor laws” by engaging in “labor only contracting and violating the Collective Bargaining Agreements of its employees.”

His statements were published in Sun.Star Cebu and Sun.Star SuperBalita on May 2, 2009, and May 4, 2009, after Mahilum was interviewed  last May 1, 2009.
Veco is represented by Jaime Jose Aboitiz.

Assistant City Prosecutor Aurora Penaflor, in her resolution, said the union leader’s statements caused “public hatred, dishonor, discredit and contempt” against Veco.

The case was earlier dismissed by the prosecutor’s office, which found no malice in Mahilum’s statements.  However, after a review by Peñaflor,  the office decided it was best left to elevate the case and let the court decide the merits.

“It is enough that the alleged defamatory or libelous statement be presented in court verbatim. It is the court which will prove whether it is defamatory or not,” Penaflor said.