Bolante files P2M libel suit vs. blocktimer
ROXAS CITY – Former Agriculture Usec. Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante filed P2 million libel suit against a block time commentator before the provincial prosecutor’s office at the hall of justice here.
In his 13-page affidavit-complaint, Bolante said, as private citizen, he is filing criminal charge for libel against Abe Ballos of Patag, Lawa-an, Roxas City, a radio commentator of the program “Ang Kamatu-oran” aired over Bombo Radyo-Roxas every Friday.
According to him last October 2, 2009 he personally heard Ballos’s libelous remarks against his person over his program at Bombo Radyo-Roxas.
Bolante said that Ballos’s broadcast was a malicious imputation against him of a crime, or a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstances tending to cause his dishonor, discredit or contempt, in reckless disregard of whether such imputations are true or false, as it portrayed him as a criminal, a thief of the people’s money; criminally guilty of corruption, of corrupting not only the local public officials but of corrupting the students as well.
Bolante claimed that Ballos also said that he pollutes the minds of the youth, teaching these students how to adopt a corrupt system of governance; criminal guilty of bribery, for distributing the money.
“On account of said defamatory attack against my character, reputation, honesty, integrity and virtue, I was exposed to public hatred, contempt, humiliation and ridicule. Such that, I suffered wounded feelings, moral shock, besmirched reputation, serious anxiety and similar injuries,” Bolante said in his affidavit of complaint.
Bolante, who was accused as the brains behind the P728 million fertilizer scam, denied he is guilty of the hullabaloo saying that he never been convicted in court.
It was learned that Abe Ballos is identified with Gov. Victor Tanco, Sr. who is the opponent of Bolante in the gubernatorial race in the 2010 election.
