PEP officials post bail

Financial and moral support poured in yesterday for the officials of the Parents Enabling Parents (PEP) Coalition who was charged with two counts of libel by the Yuchengco Group of Companies (YGC) before a Makati City Regional Trail Court (RTC).

The group received enough cash that allowed them to post a P230,000 bail bond for the libel cases.

One anonymous donor, who apparently believes in their cause and how they are fighting for the rights of thousands of parents who are up against Pacific Plans Inc., even gave a P50,000 donation.

PEP officials originally planned to surrender to RTC Branch 57 Judge Reinato Quilala, who issued the warrants of arrests against them.

The YGC actually filed 13 counts of libel against 16 officials of the PEP before nine different courts based mainly on alleged libelous remarks and statements posted at a blogsite of pepcoalition.net.

PEP president Philip Piccio led a march to the Makati City RTC yesterday morning after attending Mass at the St. Andrews Church in Reposo Street, Barangay Bel-Air.

Twelve of the 16 accused, accompanied by other parents and their children, joined the activity carrying banners saying "You robbed us of our dreams, our children of their hopes."

Lawyer Mario Ongkiko, PEP’s lead counsel, said the 12 accused expressed willingness to submit themselves to the court after warrants of arrest were issued against them last Thursday.

Piccio said PEP is now thinking of submitting a motion for inhibition against Quilala who is the only judge who has issued warrants of arrest against them.

RTC Branch 62 Judge Selma Palacio-Alaras of the Makati City RTC earlier decided not to issue warrants of arrest against them.

Ibanez said regardless of whether such a motion is filed or not, the court will still have to resolve if there is probable cause because it is the basis for the issuance of warrants of arrest.

The arraignment of the case was set on June 20 at 8:30 a.m.

Gina Gomez, one of the PEP officials being accused of libel said they are definitely being harassed by YGC through the filing of the libel cases.

"Kami na nga and agrabyado, kami pa ang ina-accuse (We were the aggrieved party and we ended up being accused in court as well)," she told The Star in an interview.

Piccio stressed that messages in a blogsite at pepcoalition.net are public messages and anyone, even the Yuchengcos, can come in and write whatever they want to write.

"The E-Law says the service provider cannot even be held liable. They are trying to silence us but we are infuriated to fight more," Piccio said.

Piccio and other PEP Coalition members filed criminal cases, including syndicated estafa, an offense punishable by death, against Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco, the owner of PPI, and 24 other directors and officers of the pre-need firm.