October 7, 2007 | 12:00am
Businessmen Norberto Quisumbing, Jr. has filed another complaint against newspaper columnist Valeriano “Bobit’ Avila on top of the P15-million damage suit he filed earlier.
This time, Quisumbing asked the court to cite Avila for indirect contempt following the latter’s continued attacks in his column despite the pending case.
The businessman claimed that Avila has undermined the integrity of the court handling the libel case he had filed by commenting on the merits of the case.
According to Quisumbing, Avila’s column on August 3 criticized him for filing the case. In that column, Avila again allegedly maligned the businessman’s reputation
“Respondent has little respect, if any, of our courts and judicial process,” Quisumbing said.
In his August 3 column, Avila commented that the case against him was an attack of press freedom, warning other journalists of getting sued if they write anything negative about Quisumbing.
Quisumbing said Avila also mentioned in his column matters that are subject of the libel case he earlier filed, which is “subjudici.”
Quisumbing said he is hoping that the court would hold Avila in contempt and impose the corresponding penalty upon the columnist.
Quisumbing, chairman of the Norkis Group of Companies, earlier filed a P15.9-million libel suit against Avila because of latter’s alleged malicious columns in The Freeman and Philippine Star. He claimed Avila’s columns have maligned his good reputation.
The amount covers for moral and exemplary damages, including the attorney’s fees and initial litigation expenses.
Quisumbing said that in at least 12 occasions since last year, Avila wrote in The Freeman and the Philippine Star malicious imputations against him by wrongfully accusing him of wrongdoings.
In all those occasions, Quisumbing claimed that he was publicly accused by Avila of committing illegal acts that besmirched his good public standing as a respected businessman. — Fred P. Languido/LPM
