“What, me worry?”

This very well describes Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar’s reaction to the libel case filed against him that has since ballooned to 80 counts.

“Who knows? It might then even get a page in the Guinness’ Book of World Records – with the probable heading: ‘A government owned public gambling corporation that filed the biggest number of libel cases against one person on but one and the same issue’,” he said in jest during an interview with The PUNCH.

The series of libel cases stem from his column published in several newspapers where he alleged that the government-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) used its women employees as “guest relations officers” during the 2004 birthday celebration of First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo.

The original libel case was dismissed by the Makati prosecutor early this year, but the Department of Justice reversed the decision and refiled the case.

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued a warrant of arrest on May 12, after which Cruz posted the usual P10,000 bail bond for his temporary liberty and pleaded “not guilty” during the arraignment in July.

“But lo and behold! This September, there are no less than 80 libel cases filed against the same accused on exactly the same issue. And this time around, the bail will amount to a whopping P800,000. Strange but true!” Cruz said.

He said the “impressive” 80 counts of libel could be based on as many number of female employees who could be convinced to act as complainants multiplied by the number of newspapers that carried the story.

But Cruz, former president of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, remains undaunted even as his lawyer, Estelito Mendoza, has assured him “there is nothing to worry about.”

“But I told him I’ll be the one to go to prison just in case,” said the church leader laughing.

Cruz, a staunch critic of the Arroyo government and Pagcor, chairs the Krusada ng Bayan Labansa Sugal which advocates against gambling.

Cruz has written in his online blog numerous items against Pagcor and gambling, the exploitation of gamblers, and how gambling money is used whimsically by certain government officials.

But Fr. Oliver Mendoza, parish priest of San Fabian town, described Pagcor’s campaign against the archbishop is frightening him.

“Pagcor is like a ghost,” he said.#

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