Loot files P10M libel suit vs. former mayor

Daanbantayan Mayor Maria Luisa Loot yesterday filed P10-million libel suit against former Compostela Mayor Gilbert Wagas before the Mandaue City prosecutor's office for allegedly making defamatory statements against her person over the radio.

Loot said that on July 14 in the afternoon Wagas attacked her person over Bantay Radyo where he is handling a commentary program after he lost in the last elections. Loot said that Wagas got mad in her interaction in one of Bantay Radyo's programs hosted by Yodi Sanchez wherein she defended President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from calls for her resignation.

Loot said she heard Wagas over the radio asking Arroyo to resign to avoid the hassle of going through an impeachment trial that might open several "can of worms." Wagas allegedly echoed former fourth district Rep. Celestino Martinez who also called for Arroyo's resignation because of alleged cheating in the last elections. In defense to the president, Loot said she interacted with Sanchez and asked the question, "which is more grave, the allegation of cheating against the President or the transfer of the P26 million of government money from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of fourth district Rep. Clavel Martinez to her personal bank account using the Girl Scouts of the Philippines as a conduit?

Loot admitted that she had mentioned in her radio interaction the conviction of Wagas in the Sandiganbayan for graft and corruption while he was acting mayor of Compostela. Wagas allegedly got mad and went on to attack her personally over the radio.

Loot said that some of the defamatory statements made by Wagas over the radio against her was that, she allegedly has a Chinese national paramour and maintains at the same time a young lover aside from her husband. Loot said that Wagas also accused her of using her former Japanese husband as a "milking cow." The mayor said that the allegations were baseless and personal, which has nothing to do with her function as public official. - Fred P. Languido

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