City attorney studying libel case vs. Guardo

CEBU, Philippines - The move to file a case against opposition south district congressional aspirant Jonathan Guardo is now with the Cebu City Legal Office.

This was revealed yesterday by city attorney Joseph Bernaldez who received instructions from Mayor Tomas Osmeña to consider filing the case against the businessman.

Osmeña said that the city should clean itself from what he described as a serious allegation from Guardo after the businessman accused City Hall of trying to stop his relief goods distribution for fire victims in barangay Calamba last Saturday.

Guardo said one of his leaders, Cora Lim, was approached and warned by the barangay tanods not to push through with the distribution upon the instruction of the barangay captain following orders from City Hall.

Calamba barangay captain Victor Quijano Jr. and Mayor Tomas Osmeña, however, were quick to deny the allegations of Guardo.

Osmeña said he finds the allegation of Guardo damaging and libelous thus he asked the city attorney to file the libel case.

Nevertheless, Bernaldez said that he told the mayor that his office must first study the case before filing it in court.

“Akong giingnan si mayor nga ato una nang tun-an kay lisod kaayo kung mudiritso ta og sang-at og kaso nga dili ta mo-estudyo,” Bernaldez said.

Osmeña said Guardo is not only insulting him but also the city council and the entire city government as well.

The businessman earlier explained that by mentioning City Hall, he meant the mayor as the representative of the city.

Guardo clarified though that he is not afraid of the mayor’s libel threat and said he will wait for the filing of the said case, calling it another form of harassment.

He recalled that City Hall removed his basketball boards, aside from preventing him from entering barangay gymnasiums, among others.

Osmeña retorted that he also sees a dangerous pattern of deception and lies on the part of Guardo.

“I can see a very dangerous pattern here because I caught him lying several times already when he said I rid 500 basketball boards in the south district,” Osmeña said.

The mayor said he cannot believe that basketball boards in their district could reach 500 and dared Guardo to identify them.

In turn Guardo challenged him to go with him so that he can point at the billboards that were torn down.

Guardo also said he was surprised with the way Osmeña is handling this incident.

“I’m surprised kay I know si mayor Osmeña dili man na basta-basta masuko, in fact, this is the first time nga nakit-an nako siya nga mo-file og kaso, I think he is slowly losing his grasp in this election,” Guardo stressed.

Osmeña told Guardo to put all his comment in a sworn statement in court and let the judge decide. — Elly Bolonos/BRP    (FREEMAN NEWS)