Broadcaster, network found liable for libel
ACTING ON THE complaint filed by Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque, president of the Lyceum-Northwestern University (LNU), in behalf of himself and the university, the Office of the Acting City Prosecutor of Dagupan City has recommended the filing of a libel case against a broadcaster of Bombo Radyo Dagupan and Bombo Radio Philippines.
A resolution dated July 15, 2013 signed by Alfredo A. Ganaban, associate provincial prosecutor of the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur who served as Acting City Prosecutor of Dagupan City, states that there is “probable cause against respondents Edmund Salacup, alias “Bombo Bogs Toribio”, and Bombo Radio Philippines, the mother station of Bombo Radyo Dagupan.”
The resolution was penned following the complaint of Duque marked as NPS No. 1-10-INV-13D-00167 accusing Salacup of reading an unsigned and malicious letter in his radio program between 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. of March 18, 2013 denouncing, among others, “the alleged sale of Masteral and Doctorate degrees to public school teachers for and in consideration of P100,00 to P150,000, respectively, by the complainant in conspiracy with Dr. Teresita Velasco, DepEd Region 1 director, and Dr. Erwin Ferrer, assistant chief of the Administrative Learning System Division of DepEd Redgion 1.”
“This is a vindication of our honor and integrity and should serve as a warning to others who deliberately and irresponsibly malign private institutions with malice in mind,” said Duque.
Separate complaints were also filed by Duque before the Dagupan Prosecutors Office against Jay Mendoza, manager of Sonshine Radio, and Leu Paragas and Orly Navarro, of the same radio station, who also read the unsigned malicious letter in their respective radio programs.
He said he expects the resolution of his other complaints to follow soon and that the results will be no different.
Duque was told that the text of the letter aired by the respondent was also sent to another radio broadcaster, Jimmy Manaois, alias Rany, of DZRD Sunshine Radio, but the latter did not read it on air since it was unsigned.
The Prosecutors Office noted that the respondents failed to submit their counter-affidavit and other supporting documents despite the subpoena sent them on April 22, 2013 requiring them to submit their counter-affidavits and supporting documents.
In recommending the filing of the case for libel against Salacup, Ganaban said in his resolution, “Even granting that the source of defamatory letter did not originate from respondent Salacup who read and aired in his radio program and granting that the said letter came from another person who may be trusted and maybe considered as legitimate source, respondent Salacup is aware of the fact that the content of the letter has a defamatory imputation against the complainant.”
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