Bayarcal Files motion

CEBU, Philippines - After the dismissal of the oral defamation charges that he filed against a lawyer for calling him ignorant of the law, Cebu City Police Traffic chief Andres Bayarcal filed a motion for reconsideration before the City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday.

 Chief Insp. Bayarcal filed charges for oral defamation against lawyer Danilo Pilapil after the latter allegedly said that he was “ignorant of the law” for not releasing Pilapil’s client in a motor vehicle accident.

Pilapil was released from police custody after the city prosecutor’s office dismissed charges for oral defamation and obstruction of justice against him. Assistant city prosecutor Victor Laborte went ahead and ruled on the case. He dismissed the two complaints against Pilapil for “lack of probable cause.”

First, Bayarcal’s affidavit did not say how the charge of obstruction of justice was committed. The prosecutor said that the allegations did not qualify for the offense under Section 1 of Presidential Decree 1829.

As for the oral defamation charge, malice was not proven. — Jasmin R. Uy/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)