Majority Opp. Lawmakers can Make, Unmake the Chief Exec

 

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Because of the cops loyal to Dagupan City Mayor Brian Lim who guarded two big villages in the coastal city to prevent the monies allegedly from the camp of the mayorship challenger Belen Fernandez (a former six years’ mayor) to circulate with a vengeance, the reelection victory of the almost three years’ Hizzoner Lim became a casualty.

The anger of the voters who were locked down on the eve of the election could be seen on the 67, 499 votes of Fernandez (a Chinese descent like Lim) versus the 53, 042 votes gained by the incumbent mayor. Geez, that’s a 144, 457 lead votes for incoming Mayor Belen – the Woman with Balls as based on her intrepidity to fight what is best for the Dagupenos.

SCHISM between the Legislative and the Executive Departments. Photo credit: Latestlaws.com

In their first match in 2019 election, Lim won a measly 1,239 votes to wear the mayoralty diadem of progressive city in Northern Luzon with more than a hundred thousand of voters.

But the acrimonious political drama in Bangus City – started in June 30, 2019 to the stonewalling of the mostly Fernandez ally Dads to deprive Lim of his more than a billion pesos’ budget - did not end on the night Fernandez was proclaimed as Mayor by the Commission on Election.

As I scanned the 100% accomplished data of Halalan 2022 of ABS-CBN, I saw Red Flag on the equation of the twelve members of the legislature (Pinoys call it Sangguniang Panlungsod). Seven of the new Councilors came from the ticket of Lim while three hailed from Fernandez’s slate.

“With the ex-officio members of the SP through the Presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangays and the Samahang Kabataan Federation, the balance-of-power (or power play or whatever you call it) tips on the allies of Lim on the legislature,” I told my son Jigger while browsing the data of Halalan 2022.

They can continue what the former allies of Fernandez by holding hostage projects and programs Mayor-Elect Belen Fernandez wants to pass.

The still to be passed billions of pesos 2022 annual budget under the Lim Administration can be allowed to go by the majority of the Councilors who procrastinated on it since late last year thus the local government is snagged with the 2021 reenacted budget sans the twenty percent Development Fund (psst construction and repair of infras and where the alleged S.O.Ps are embedded)   

But my eldest son – who is enchanted with the razzmatazz of the local government because he once worked there – told me that buying one councilor – says for a million or more pesos (through projects or cold cash, baby)  – can make the equation six – six where the tie breaker is Fernandez’s cousin and the incumbent Vice Mayor Bryan Kua.

***

If some of the Dads of Dagupan can be procured through projects or whatever salamabit to collaborate whatever the chief of the executive department wants to foist so she can look popular after three years and help her reelection bid, could it happen to Pangasinan Governor-Elect Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III?

Recently, I asked him inside the session hall of the provincial lawmakers in capital town Lingayen about the impending schism from the eight new members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan comes June 30. These eight Dads are loyal to exiting Governor Amado Espino, III and his namesake father the former governor while Guico got only four provincial lawmakers.

With the two ex-officio members of the SP who come from the presidency of the Liga ng mga Barangay and the Samahan ng mga Kabataan Federation, the equation in the provincial board will be ten opposition members and four from your own party, will they prejudice the governor’s projects and programs through their obstruction on Resolutions and Ordinances?

The outgoing Pangasinan 5^th District Congressman Guico retort: “Well, kung hindi sila makiayon e di they did not perform their mandate as legislatures of the province. So, kailangan gamitin na rin nila kung ano iyong (inaudible)..”

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

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MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.

Billionaire-Mayor Explains How Aguila Defeated the Espinos

 

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – “The Eagle has landed,” exiting Bayambang Billionaire - Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao quipped in his opening statement to reporters the immortal phrase of American astronaut Neil Armstrong when it landed on the moon’s Sea of Tranquility his Apollo 11 lunar module named “Eagle.

The Eagle or Aguila in the vernacular is the acronym of the Alyansang Guico at Lambino for the governorship and vice governorship races of Pangasinan province participated by 5^th District Rep. Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III and Vice Gov. Mark Lambino, respectively.

Quiambao was accused by former governor Amado T. Espino, Jr – his high school classmate  - to be behind the massive cheating that saw his son and namesake the governor of the province lost in the May 9 election.

POWERFUL POLITICIAN and Bayambang Mayor Cezar T. Quiambo (left, photo and clockwise), Pangasinan new Governor –Elect Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III, and exiting Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino, III. Guico trounces out Espino with a 187, 801 lead votes in the latest governorship derby. The former and the latter garnered 885,272 votes, 697, 465 votes, respectively. Espino’s father and namesake the former governor of the colossal province accused Quiambao of massive machination that saw his governor and congressman’s sons routed in the polls by their rivals.

“The issue on me I think is wrong. This a joint team effort. The real changer here is Congressman Mark Cojuangco. He lost as a candidate for governor, moved to the 2^nd District. That’s the game changer. Without the sacrifice of Cong. Mark I don’t think we have a strong team,” Quiambao retorted to the query of this writer on the election machination that favors Guico and Cojuangco.

“Mula ng maging Mayor si Mr. Quiambao hindi na nanalo si Pogi. Dati si Ric (former Bayambang Mayor who ran the town’s top post) sa kanya mismong barangay,” he told reporters in a press conference he called at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here in May 10 with the Abante Pangasinan Ilokano (API) Secretary General Nelson V. Gayo and some Pangasinan mayoralty candidates who were trounced out in the polls like  Bryan Gotoc and Joseph Arman Bauzon.

In a press briefing to answer the accusations of Espino held on May 11 at the residence of Cojuangco in North Bay School, Maramba Blvd., Libsong West here, Quiambao – accompanied by Guico, Cojuangco, 1^st District Representative-Elect Art Celeste, Abono Partylist Congressman Eskimo Estrella, and Guico’s father and namesake the 5^th District Congressman-elect – cited the factors how Espino’s governor and 2^nd District Congressman sons lose the election.

He mentioned the unity of the members of the Aguila who were seated with him at the press conference and the persistence of Celeste to convince Cojuangco to transfer his residency in the 2nd District - the Lion’s Den of the Espinos where the former governor and the present solon reside – where Quiambao considered it a vacuum with their power play with the sitting political family.

It has more or less 315,000 registered voters (2022 data) that could prejudice the victory of Guico among the almost two million registered voters of the entire province in case they could not find an effective opponent to challenge Congressman Jumel Anthony Espino there.

Guico and reelectionist Pogi Espino garnered 885,272 votes, 697, 465 votes, respectively or a lead votes of 187, 801 in favor of Guico.

Cojuangco beat Jumel Espino with a lead votes of 14, 584 votes.

“First District we are strong. Our weakest point is the 2^nd District. We’re strong (in the) 4^th District, I think we’re strong in the 3^rd District, 5^th District we’ve the strongest support there, 6^th District we have the Abono. Look at the composition of the group. It’s really a united effort well- organized, well- studied, well- strategize”.

The third factor was the quality of the candidates Aguila fielded in the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 5th Districts and the collaboration of the bets to buttress the political stocks of Aguila in the 6th District through the Abono Party List of exiting Rep. Conrad Estrella.

“The most important factor: The quality of the candidates. There was no single issue that were raised against the candidates especially Governor Monmon Guico”.

The fifth factor, according to Quiambao, was their resources like the use of helicopters where each of them – him, Cojuangco, and Guico - owned to hopscotch (especially for Guico) from up to four villages a day since they start barnstorming the barangays in September last year.

“We’re able to go around para sa (more than) 1,200 barangays. That makes the difference naka-helicopter kaming lahat”.

He said this technology bode them well to their march to victory.

“Very clear we did not apply technology to cheat. We look at the system. The system is 99% accurate that is the standard of the automative election,” as his rebuttal to the cheating yarn of the older Espino.

He cited the defeat of the opponents as the Espinos’ Fatigue where the patriarch and his sons governed the forty-four towns and three cities’ province for almost twenty years without significant improvement to the lives of the people.

“Siguro the fourth factor is Espinos’ Fatigue. Pagod na rin siguro ang mga tao. 15 years’ service hindi satisfied iyong tao”.

Except the vice governor and the Abono Party List’s nominee No. 1 Estrella, Quiambao told the public that the same individuals seated with him were the original members who shored up and catapulted Espino, Jr. to Congress in the 2005 election and the governorship in the 2007 poll.

“These are people who make him governor who made him congressman. All of us. So we can make a governor, we can also make a downfall of the governor”.

 Cong.-Elect Celeste butted in that if massive cheating had been perpetrated by their camp then his two brothers' former Congressman Jesus 'Boying" Celeste, exiting Congressman Noli Celeste, and Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn Lambino would not lose in the mayorship contests in the towns of Sual, Agno, and Mangaldan, respectively. The defeated candidates are members of Aguila.

The other factor this newspaper saw that caused the routing of the Espinos in the May 9 derby was the five expensive fifteen and thirty seconds’ political advertisement shown daily at the regional afternoon news of GMA-7 two months before the election.  Governor Espino’s public relation guys could only show pathetically three infomercials two weeks before the election.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

Guico can Beat Espino – Quiambao

Can the De Venecias, Ex-Dagupan Mayor Subvert the Vaunted Marcos’ Solid North?

  By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I thought that after the camp of presidential bet Leni Robredo left the huge concrete open space – host of the 76,000 crowd - of CSI mall owned by the family of former Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, I told my wife and son Jigger – while we were struck around 11 pm of April 8 in the muddy parking space near the highway – that Robredo’s party would be spending the night in a hotel at the coastal city.

“She’s weary doing hustings in Bani and Villasis (towns in Pangasinan) and addressed the 1,600 students and staff of the University of Pangasinan in Dagupan City the whole day,” I said.

The following morning, my mole in the camp of former five-time Speaker Joe de Venecia told me the convoy of the presidential bet had midnight dinner at the house of the rabble rousing Speaker in Barangay Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City before motoring the more than an hour rides to Tarlac City.

Through the intercession there of the De Venecias (Speaker Joe, Missus former solon Manay Gina, and incumbent Congressman Toff) she met the 140 barangay chairmen (village chiefs) of the one city and four towns’ Fourth Congressional District. The District is the perennial citadel of the De Venecias.

PANGASINAN 4^TH DISTRICT POLITICAL KINGPIN former House Speaker Joe de Venecia (extreme left, photo), son Congressman Christopher and spouse Manay Gina (2^nd and 1^st from right, photo) raised the hands of presidential candidate Leni Robredo in a colossal assembly of supporters from various parts of the 2.1 million voting strong Pangasinan province that converged at the open space of the CSI mall owned by the family of former Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez.

“The backing of the De Venecias will frustrate the three provinces Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union in Region-1 because Pangasinan goes for Leni,” my spy said.

I told him the almost 1.5 million registered voters of the three Ilocano speaking provinces are dwarfed compared to Pangasinan’s almost 2.1 million registered voters where Ilocano and Pangasinenses divide the demography.

“Walang Solid North,” my errand boy Procopio Matulis quipped when he told me about the De Venecias and former Mayor Belen valiant decision to go against the customary sentiment of the people in the Ilocos Region (another name of Region 1).

Manay Gina by the way is a Bicolana like Leni. Does her support has something to do with regionalism or a careful tactical political move by the De Venecias as my source wanted me to believe?

The region has 3,546,764 registered voters (Comelec 2022 data taken from the 2,096, 936 voters of Pangasinan (including the independent component city’s Dagupan), 538, 730 voters of La Union, 476, 984 voters of Ilocos Sur, and 434, 114 voters of Ilocos Norte.

PRESIDENTIAL BET – who is the current Vice President of the Philippines - Leni Robredo (right, photo) and Dagupan mayoralty candidate former Mayor Belen T. Fernandez. Fernandez and the political family of former House Speaker Joe de Venecia wanted to pierce the vaunted Solid North’s voting myth of the family of the late Ilocano Dictator Ferdinand Marcos by exhorting voters to support the presidential bid of Robredo – a Bicolana. 

After the rally in Dagupan City and spending the night in Tarlac, Robredo and slate (like Senatorial bets and bitter enemies’ Antonio Trillanes and Dick Gordon – I had a brush with the brash solon Big Dick before the start of the assembly that is now viral and expected to hit a million views at Facebook -  have gargantuan rally in the nearby Pampanga province on the dusk of that day. That rally – according to the police – showed 220, 000 yelling, shoving, and jostling Ka-Pampangans who attended that sea of humanity. 

“Hinde iyan sibuyas lasona (small onions) iyan!” my columnist in Northern Watch Newspaper and pro-Marcos’ Prof. Arnel Montemayor whose nom de plume is Munting Isko cried at FB hahaha when he saw the Pampanga’s Kakam-Pinks crowd.

***

A few days before the mammoth rally outside the CSI stadia and malls ensued, a mayor told me that he and another Hizzoner were badgered by Manay Gina at her residence in the coastal barangay Bunuan Binloc to join the Leni and Kiko Pangilinan’s rally.

“Sinabi ko naman kay Manay na hinde puwede kasi pinsan ko sila Marcos pero mapilit kaya papupuntahin ko na lang si misis ko doon,” he lamented.

Other hizzoners I saw there (Geez, I was near the stage and had even dinner and interviews with 1Sambayan Convenor former Supreme Court Justice Tony Carpio and ex-Ombudsman Conchita Morales inside the Stadia) were Calasiao, Binmaley, and San Manuel, Pangasinan Mayors Joseph Bauzon, Sam Rosario -who smarted Dictator Marcos jailed him - and Kenneth Marco Perez, respectively.

The other mayor told him to just ride with the wish of the matriarch of the political kingpin of the Fourth District so she would not chide them.

Instead, the De Venecia got the chiding from the avid supporters of Marcos when the family raised the hands of Robredo in the stage as the multitude in Dagupan City chanted.

Former Congressman and congressional candidate of the First District Art Celeste called the De Venecias as “has been” diminishing political force.

"In 2016, they (de Venecias) who (sic) were with the Liberal Party campaigned hard for Mar Roxas (for President and Leni Robredo for Vice President, but they (Mar-Leni) lost miserably in Pangasinan despite the massive resources of the 'yellows' then," former First District Cong. Art Celeste, who is making a congressional comeback, told Manila Times.

He recalled that even the party-list Inang Mahal of former representative Gina de Venecia did not garner substantial votes in the mammoth province.

"She (Gina) is a Bicolana like Leni Robredo who doesn't care, feel and think like the Ilocanos and Pangasinenses do," Celeste said.

Congressman Toff de Venecia was booed too by the thousands of supporters in the Leni Rally when he acknowledged and thanked President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go.

De Venecia’s congressional rival lawyer Alvin Fernandez assailed him on his April 9 Facebook’s post: “He is now supporting the two opposing Mayors of Dagupan and is also in both their official line up. I am very happy that he is now supporting Leni although he has also been attending and supporting the other (rival Bongbong Marcos). Siya lang po nakakaalam sino sa huli ang pipiliin niyang Mayor at sino sa huli ang pipiliin niyang Presidente".

De Venecia and his mother Gina were in the Bongbong Marcos’ rally in February 27, 2022 held in Dagupan City, according to a news report.

Drone shots of the 76,000-strong “Kakampink” crowd in Dagupan City, Pangasinan during the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem’s grand rally. That’s more than double the size of the crowd when front runner Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. held a rally in the same city in February 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Rappler.com

In the March 17-21, 22022 poll of Pulse Asia, it showed that Robredo’s rival Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. got 56% while Leni notched to 24%.

But with the 9% spike of the poll stocks of Robredo and 4% decline of Marcos from the same pollster’s February 18-23, 2022 survey, Pulse Asia President Ronald Holmes opined that the Bicolana had found the silver bullet - how to swell public opinion in her favor. They are the gargantuan rallies that started first in the March 20, 2022 130,000 supporters’ Pasig rally and her other colossal assemblies, and the house-to-house strategy.

In an interview with "The Chiefs" over Cignal TV's One News, Holmes said sustaining the rise of Robredo will depend on what her campaign will do in the following weeks.

Holmes attributed Robredo's rise in the latest Pulse Asia survey to the different tactics that her team has adopted since the start of the campaign period, including the holding of large rallies and the media coverage that it received.

While the decline of support for Marcos was not statistically significant, Holmes said it is different in the case of Robredo. She saw a rise among supporters in most areas and across all socioeconomic sectors covered by the poll.

MY PROGNOSIS: Come the next scientific survey in April 20 - that could go public in May 1 – that could show Robredo spikes her March 17-21 to another 15 % then she wins the May 9 presidential derby. Failure to get that figure, she losses while Marcos wins.

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Modern Western Weaponry V. Poorly Armed Russian Army

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

While sitting with some media men on our chairs in a dinner table at the opposition proclamation rally last Friday's night in Bayambang, Pangasinan, some congressman and congressional bets, mayors and mayoralty candidates dropped by at our table and exchanged pleasantries (we missed each other, by golly, since the pandemic in 2020 saw us scampered away from the public scenes).

My son ZJ was wide eyed and quipped to me: Pa' madami pala magaganda dito akala ko sa Dagupan City lang ang mga classy.

"Siyempre classy rin sila dito kasi mga anak ng pulitiko iyan at nagtatapon sila ng pera pag election dahil ang politics is game of the moneyed," I retorted.

When the debonair young Alaminos City Mayor Bryan Celeste passed by our table sorrounded by five bodyguards, I called him.

JAVELIN. The FGM-148 Javelin (AAWS-M) is an American-made portable anti-tank missile system in service since 1996, and continuously upgraded. It replaced the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service.[10] Its fire-and-forget design uses automatic infrared guidance that allows the user to seek cover immediately after launch, as opposed to wire-guided systems, like the system used by the Dragon, which require the user to guide the weapon throughout the engagement. The Javelin's HEAT warhead is capable of defeating modern tanks by hitting them from above where their armor is thinnest, and is also useful against fortifications in a direct attack flight. (Wikipedia)

"Bryan nabasa mo iyong Northern Watch Newspaper I sent sa office mo?"

My son whispered to me: Pa' iyong nakapulupot na maganda sa tabi niya artista iyan.

"Sinong artista iyan?" I asked him since I only watch foreign news outlets CNN, BBC, Fox, and Al Jazeera.

"Pauline Mendoza," he quipped.

When the young well-built Sual's Vice Mayoralty candidate John Christopher Arcinue saw me, I called him: Chris, kamusta ang laban mananalo na tayo sa Mayo?

We exchanged some brief pleasantries.

Jigger told me: Artista din iyang ex. Gf niya si Nadine Lustre.

"Alam ko sinabi ni Lolo niya si Mayor Bing".

When the tall, slim, and goddess looking multi-millionaire actress and mayoralty bet Nina Jose-Quiambao passed by sorrounded by lady aides and brawny bodyguards, I hollered:

"Mayor Nina!"

"Ay Tito Mortz!"

"Fist touch," I quipped

She reciprocated it by extending her right hand and her pricey diamond ring crowned fist touch mine.

***

Damn, how Davids with their U.S and U.K made shoulder fired Javelin and NLAW anti-tank missiles and armed cheap drones' Bayraktar from Turkey routing a deteriorating nuclear power in this war.

I was ecstatic in high school reading broad sheets (Yes Virginia, this probinsiyano read newspapers already at that age) when pajama clad and sandals' wearing Mujaheddin fighters in Afghanistan were armed by the Yanks with their shoulder fired heat seeking Stinger missiles that saw Soviet Russia pilots cowed in horror as they saw their colleagues in their mighty combat jets like MIG -21s and lethally armed helicopters like Mil Mi-24s - yes the one you saw in a Rambo's flick - fell from the skies in fireballs.

Despite being "dehado", technologies like these anti tanks and anti-aircraft can be a game changer.

The hated Russians in Afghanistan withdrew humiliated in the late 1980s because of the Stingers.

After that withdrawal, the once invincible super power Soviet Union crumbled into pieces (where countries like Ukraine was independently created) as the Communist economic system proselytized, er, taught to them by Karl Mark and Vladimir Lenin failed to sustain them.

The American system fed by the ideas of Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes, and others burgeoned as profit motivation (the best factor to better up the general welfare) among Capitalists like those arm manufacturers I mentioned only spruced up their superior products drawing more customers around the globe and creating more employment wherever the plants of that product are located.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

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HOW POLITICIANS WIN ELECTION AND PROLONG THEIR STAY IN OFFICE

 SOON IN THE MARKET!

My book titled: HOW POLITICIANS WIN ELECTION AND PROLONG THEIR STAY IN OFFICE will soon be in the market.

It's more or less P500 per book exclusive of courier like LBC.

Please have your RESERVATION HERE to know the ropes and have a chance to win the May 9, 2022 election. Moreover, it is also to those (non candidates) who want to know how politicians rob the coffer to win in their reelection.

P1-B TV Ad for a Senate Post that gives P300-K Monthly

 

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 I'm watching both GMA-7 and ABS-CBN evening prime time news.

I saw Sara Duterte endorsing the Senatorial bid of Harry Roque.

Roque has become aggressive lately with his multi-million pesos 30 seconds TV ads that cost more or less P500, 000 per 30 seconds.

When I consulted the latest March 9-14 polls of Publicus Asia, it showed Roque - the pet peeve of many Filipinos because of his eccentric principles - catapulted from the cellar (No. 30 several months ago) to No. 13.

One hard pushed and he will be in the Magic 12 almost two months before the May 9 election.

I suspected Roque's patron President Rodrigo Duterte "bankrolled" his foray in the Senate race -- just like what he did to senatorial bets Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go in the 2019 election.

I've been telling all and sundry that those who can afford the hundreds of millions of pesos of ads on TV win the elusive Senate seat.

Alan Peter Cayetano, Win Gatchalian, Mark Villar, and Joel Villanueva soar in the Top 10 by spending P1 billion each on ads since they patronize the magic of boob tubes middle of last year.

Damn, a billion of pesos to a post that gives P300, 000 a month or P23.4 million as salary in a six years term.

Shield Law Does not Protect Radio Announcers on Libel

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

My radio announcer friend’s Harold Barcelona called me by phone telling me he and a radio tandem at DWPR in Dagupan City would be sued with libel by a government official.

“Ano ang sinabi ninyo at kakasuhan kayo?” I posed.

He answered that in his scathing passion he told the public that the official furnished the tiles of his house with those intended for a government building.

His tandem Sammy Lusalla joined him in opining about the alleged corruption of the government brass.

Photo credit: Techinasia

I told him if they have evidence to back up their accusation the case will be dismissed later by the judge of the Regional Trial Court. If they have none, they go to jail and serve the eight years’ jail time for cyber libel after their conviction.

The seasoned radio man Harold knew about the ordinary libel because when I exposed the members of the Provincial Board more than a decade’s ago as recipient of P40,000 a month each payola from the maintainer of the illegal numbers’ game jueteng he was the guy I asked with intrepidity to distribute my newspaper’s Northern Watch to the offices of the local legislature

“Pare, tutuluyan ka daw nila,” he said to me through phone about the livid deputados and their vice governor and their plan to charge me in court with written defamation.

I told Harold then that libel based on the Revised Penal Code did not threaten me.

“Six years below lang ang kulong niyan. Sa Probation Law natin pag Prision Correctional puweding e apply ng probation walang kulong walang record iyan pag na convict ako. E di ako ma ku-convict diyan kasi my source – with witnesses to back it up – was their fellow member”.

That case was eventually dismissed by the RTC Judge.

I told him that his and Sammy’s predicaments were more serious because if the complainant and his witness complained at their affidavit that they hear through the social media like Facebook the libelous remarks about the tiles – it would be Cyber Libel for them.

Proceeding from the definition of libel under Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code, Cyber Libel cyber is defined as a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead, and committed through a computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the future.

Since their program is a bloc time – where they promote the stocks of their patron politician and hit his opponents – they ask their benefactor to shoulder the acceptance fee of the private lawyer that runs to tens of thousands of pesos.

Not to mention each appearance at the prosecutor's office of their legal counsel to answer the complaint affidavit of the complainant and his witnesses and monthly hearing in the RTC that will bill them with few thousands of pesos.  

“Puwede rin kayo kumuha ng libre na abogado sa PAO (Public Attorney’s Office). Pero madaming kasong hinahawakan iyon baka matuluyan kayo makulong kayo sa kaso niyo dahil walang probation iyan,” I told him.

Harold and Sammy are one of the many media men in my province that faces Cyber Libel cases in this acrimonious nasty May 9, 2022 national and local election because of their “odium and opprobrium”.

(Click here to see who are those other reporters who brace for charges with this criminal offense)

 Whether they have done their craft in good faith that will entail dismissal later from the court, these brothers and sisters in the profession however should remember that they should be prudent on what they remark on air.

Radio announcer has limited protection than newspaper reporter. The latter can cite the Shield Law or Republic Act No. 1477 to avoid being sued or chalk up dismissal of the case from the court.

It says “Without prejudice to his liability under the civil and criminal laws, the publisher, editor, columnist or duly accredited reporter of any newspaper, magazine or periodical of general circulation cannot be compelled to reveal the source of any news-report or information appearing in said publication which was related in confidence to such publisher, editor or reporter unless the court or a House or committee of Congress finds that such revelation is demanded by the security of the State (Section 1)”.

Shield Law is the Philippines copycat – just like our Libel - of United States’ law.

(READ my blog on Shield Law here)

The lawyer of the newspaper reporter can just ask the prosecutor or the judge to dismiss the case because it is “privileged” due to the Shield Law.