Arrest warrants issued vs 15 farmers for libel

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A Quezon City judge has upheld the arrest warrants issued by a government prosecutor against 15 farmers who were sued for libel by a former mayor of Candaba town in Pampanga province.

The farmers had accused former Mayor Jerry Pelayo of financing alleged nonexistent projects with P128 million in municipal funds.

Both the National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Agriculture issued certifications confirming the completion of the municipal projects from July 1, 2004, to July 2013. The agencies also said the projects had passed scrutiny, having submitted the proper liquidation reports and accounting of funds.

Pelayo sued the farmers for implicating him in the alleged misuse of public funds, which led to a plunder complaint filed against him in March 2014.

He said the plunder complaint was malicious because news reports about the charges were published on the day of his son’s wedding.

The filing of the complaint also cost him business opportunities, Pelayo said, claiming that potential investment partners had avoided him.

The farmers could not be reached for comment on Monday. The warrants for their arrest, issued by Judge Tita Marilyn Payoyo-Villordon of the Regional Trial Court Branch 224 in Quezon City, have yet to be served.

“The order finding judicial determination of probable cause and the subsequent issuance of the warrants of arrest against the accused stands,” Villordon said in a two-page order dated Jan. 20. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon