Former Daanbantayan mayor sued for defamation, threats

CEBU, Philippines - Former mayor Maria Luisa Loot is facing complaints before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly uttering offensive words against a Barangay Pajo, Daanbantayan councilwoman and for blackening the memory of the dead.

Rowena Valiente, a resident of Pajo, Daanbantayan, filed criminal complaints for defamation, threats and disrespect to the dead against the former Daanbantayan, Cebu mayor over an incident that happened sometime early this year.

In her complaint, Valiente alleged that Loot filed a complaint at the office of the barangay captain of Pajo against her for allegedly uttering the words “professional squatter,” which Loot believed to be directed at her.

Valiente said that during the hearing last February 9, Loot appeared at the Office of the Barangay Captain and allegedly shouted offensive words at her and threatened to kill them.

Valiente said Loot uttered that her (Valiente) grandfather, the late mayor Braulio Arriola, Sr., had done nothing for the town during his stint and that Valiente’s uncle, who is a lawyer by profession, was allegedly senile.

Valiente said that because of what Loot did, the hearing was postponed to another date, where only a lawyer showed up for Loot.

Valiente further said that before she filed the complaint before the fiscal’s office, she went first to the office of the Poblacion barangay captain.

Because Loot allegedly refused to appear during the hearing, prompting the Poblacion Lupong Tagapamayapa to issue a certification to file action for Valiente to raise her complaint before the Cebu provincial prosecutor.

Valiente said that contrary to Loot’s allegation her grandfather made numerous achievements during his term as mayor and that her uncle, Atty. Braulio Arriola Jr., was not senile and dumb.—(FREEMAN)