LINGAYEN–The office of the Provincial Prosecutor has recommended the filing of information before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for the crime of libel against former Manila Economic Cooperation Office (MECO) chairman Amadeo Perez Jr.

The recommendation, signed on June 21, 2016 by Senior Asst. Provincial Prosecutor Raul B. Campos and approved by Provincial Prosecutor Abraham L. Ramos II, was made upon completing the evaluation of the complaint-affidavit filed by the  plaintiff , then Governor Amado Espino Jr., now congressman of the Fifth District, and the counter-affidavit of Perez.

The resolution reads “the respondent does not categorically deny that he uttered the statements referred by the complainant in his complaint affidavit.”

The alleged libelous statement was in the form of a political advertisement aired on radio station DWPR from October to May 2016. ”

It is deem incredible that the respondent (Perez) had no knowledge of the fact that his remarks were made public over the media as he appears to be a political leader and supporter of the NPC and that said speech was intended to promote the cause of his party during the elections,” Asst.  Prosecutor Campos stated in his resolution. 

In his counter-affidavit, Perez said the alleged statement attributed was made during a gathering of political leaders at the residence of former Congressman Mark Cojuangco and did not know it was being taped and later used in a political advertisement by Radio Station DWPR in Dagupan, reportedly owned by the Cojuangco family.

Cojuangco ran for governor but lost to then Board Member Amado “Pogi” Espino III.

Campos held that “unfounded and malicious statements made by one against another in the course of an election campaign, or by reason of differences in political views are not, per se, constitutionally protected speech.”

Laws on defamation also provide for sanctions against unjustified and malicious injury to a person’s reputation and honor, the resolution further stated..

Portion of the alleged libelous statements by MECOmchairman Perez  in Pilipino include:

” Alam niyo ho nakausap ko ang isang madre, sabi ng isang madre na may nagsabi raw sa kanya. “Alam naming corrupt si Governor” sabi nila, pero maraming nagawa. Nagawa nya ‘yong Kapitolyo, ‘yong mga ospital ni-renovate niya ‘yong mga ospital, bumili ng “buses” , nirenovate niya ang Urduja. Ang tanong, ni-renovate ‘yong mga ospital ng mga contractor nya, tumubo sya. Lahat ho ng mga pinakita niya na nagawa niya, pinagkakitaan niya ng pera.

In his resolution, Campos said  that ” the  said  utterances clearly imputed a discreditable, deplorable and detestable act on the complainant by referring to him as corrupt public official who, by taking advantage of his position, profited or earned money when he, as the governor of Pangasinan, caused the renovation of hospitals, the renovation of the Urduja building and the constructions of other government projects that he boasted as his achievement.” (Leonardo Micua)

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