Libel raps vs ex-councilor dismissed
A libel complaint filed against the former number one councilor of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo and former Bombo Radyo Iloilo chief of reporters has been dismissed.
Ordered by Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Jonacel Andrada-Marañon, Provincial Prosecutor Bernabe Dusaban approved the Resolution that had the former broadcaster turned politican Larry Deatras as sole respondent.
Docketed as Information Sheet (IS) No. 2007-1299, complainant was the town mayor's daughter, Maribel Maquino-Buenaflor. The Libel complaint stemmed from one of the campaign sorties in last year's election where Deatras challenged the candidacy of the complainant's father, re-elected Mayor Isabelo Maquino.
In a four-page Resolution obtained by The News Today (TNT), the dismissal was primarily anchored on the lack of proper identification of the supposed victim.
"The alleged libelous statements were not directed to the complainant, her name and whereabouts were never mentioned by the respondent in his speeches. No defamatory words were uttered against her. It is a well-settled rule that in the prosecution of Libel, the offended party must be identified," excerpts of the Resolution went.
Further still, the dismissal noted how "after an exhaustive and meticulous evaluation and examination of the evidence presented by both parties, this Investigating Prosecutor finds and so holds that Libel cannot prosper against respondent Larry Deatras."
"It is established that the libelous statements complained of were uttered in the political rally, during the campaign speeches of the respondent, he being a mayoralty candidate," the Resolution continued. "A careful perusal of the alleged libelous statements will show that they are directed to the incumbent mayor, father of the complainant herein, a public figure and who was then also running for a mayoralty post, as such his mental, moral and physical fitness as a candidate maybe the object of comment and or criticism."