Libel charges filed against Bro. Eli Soriano

Libel charges have been filed against "Ang Dating Daan" leader Bro. Eliseo "Eli" Soriano for allegedly calling four ministers of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) "stupid" in his television program last year.

The filing of charges against Soriano, Bayan ng Katotohanan Inc. presiding minister, was recommended by Assistant City Prosecutor Gibson Araula Jr. after finding probable cause to indict him in court.

Araula also recommended a bail of P10,000 for Soriano’s provisional liberty.

The charges against Soriano were filed by Michael Sandoval, Maximo Bularan Leopoldo Guevarra and Ramil Parba, INC ministers and panelist of INC-produced "Ang Tamang Daan" for the malicious statements he allegedly made against them in his program aired over SBN (Southern Broadcasting Network) Channel 21 on the night of August 15, 2003.

Soriano allegedly linked the complainants to killings and accused them of being authors of lewd magazines and komiks.

In his three-page resolution, Araula said Soriano’s statements not only caused dishonor, discredit or contempt to the complainants but also to the INC.

"Accusing the complainants as responsible for the publication of obscene komiks and calling them stupid would destroy the credibility of the teaching of the INC. Likewise, respondent Soriano by uttering such words in a TV program has no other intention but to maliciously injure the reputation of the complainants," Araula said.

Soriano filed counter-charges against the INC officials led by executive minister Eraño Manalo for allegedly continuing to hurl unsavory remarks against him.

Soriano claimed that he personally committed to desist from criticizing the INC but the religious group has not refrained from defaming and ridiculing him in its "Ang Tamang Daan" program on television.

Assistant City Prosecutor Juan Rodolfo, however, recommended last month the dismissal of Soriano’s counter-charge for insufficiency of evidence.