Radioman in sex intrigue welcomes case: Ouanos promise a rain of charges

Gloria Lastimosa Dalawampu, lawyer of the Ouano family of Mandaue City, yesterday vowed to file a rain of charges against a radio commentator who allegedly spread sexual intrigues on air involving Mayor Thadeo Ouano and his daughter-in-law Cheryl. Dalawampu said DYHP anchorman Joash Dignos should expect more charges within the next few days, including a possible complaint before the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) seeking his perpetual ban from the airwaves.

Cheryl Ouano, wife of Ouano's son Alfred Francis, a Consolacion councilor and member of the Cebu provincial board, sued Dignos for libel on Wednesday, claiming the radioman maligned her and her family with innuendoes that she and Mayor Ouano had sexual relations. Dignos welcome the libel charge filed against him by Cheryl, who is executive secretary to the mayor and at the same time is chairwoman of the Mandaue City Sports Commission.

The radio commentator said that it is the right of Ouano to sue him, but refused to comment further until he gets a copy of the complaint.

Dalawampu said they are studying what other charges they could file against Dignos in the next days to come. She pointed out that Mayor Ouano did not join in the libel case that they filed last Wednesday, as part of their legal strategy.

Dalawampu said, surely the mayor will file his own legal action against Dignos.

The lawyer added that they are also seeking action from the KBP to ban Dignos from the air lanes, because of his use of foul and gutter language on air, which is prohibited under the radio code.

The KBP governs the conduct of broadcast personalities on the air, but its powers are limited to the member stations.

Through, the KBP's Standard Authority, Dignos could be sanctioned and even disqualified from going on the air in any KBP member radio station nationwide if he is found guilty of violating the radio code.

Dignos allegedly made personal attacks against Ouano in at least three occasions in his radio program. Such commentaries, according to Dalawampu, have libeled her client, Cheryl Ouano.

Dignos allegedly said in his program that the mayor had sexual relations with his daughter-in-law. Dignos was quoted in the complaint as having said, "Ikaw kaning gikaingon nga chief executive nga ni jerjer og umagad."

Dalawampu said the term "jerjer" used by Dignos in his program connotes sexual intercourse. Although, the word is not yet found in Cebuano dictionary but she said this is a "slang" word for sexual intercourse.

Dalawampu said that Dignos could not use as defense that he meant otherwise when he used the word "jerjer," because it is understood by many that the word really means sexual intercourse.

"We can prove that jerjer is a slang word for sexual intercourse," Dalawampu said.

She added that the word is already used even in the courts. In fact, Dalawampu said this was the word use by a judge that they charged for sexual harassment.

Dignos said that he did not mention the name of Cheryl in his program.

"Ila nang katungod and I welcome this development. In the first place wala man ko maghisgot kaniya (Cheryl), usa ra man to ka blind item," Dignos said.

Dignos however said that he will answer the complaint in the right forum.

"It's their right and it's normal because that's the price of being vigilant. And I know that truth shall set me free," Dignos added.

Dignos, whose program is on air from 6 to 8 am, came from the Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) station in Cagayan de Oro City before he transferred to Cebu. RMN is the network of DyHP.

Dignos reportedly had faced seven counts of libel in Cagayan de Oro because of his commentaries, but all of the cases were dismissed.

Dignos also denied accusations he is being used by political opponents of Mayor Ouano to make such commentary.

"Impossible kaayo na nga wala sab gyud madungog nga nagbinuag ug modawat gikan sa mga politiko kay its been a long standing policy sa RMN nga dili magpagamit sa mga politiko," Dignos said. - with Ramil V. Ayuman