Billiard champ files libel case vs sports execs

Two sports officials have been charged with libel at the Pasig Regional Trial Court on account of a complaint filed by top billiard player Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan.

Pagulayan alleged that Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) chairman Yen Makabenta and president Ernesto Fajardo had accused him of “sharking” – a term in billiard for cheating an opponent or ungentlemanly conduct – in order to win in the Singapore leg of the 2007 Guinness 9-Ball tour.

They have also accused him of being a “disgraceful loser” and a liar unfit, unworthy and unacceptable to represent the country.

Pagulayan said without hearing his side, Makabenta and Fajardo caused these pronouncements to be published in many newspapers. He alleged that the two fabricated the story when he refused to join a television program that Makabenta intended to produce.

Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante also testified that they were invited by Makabenta to join the said TV program.

In contradiction to Makabenta and Fajardo’s pronouncements, the producers of the event ESPN Star Sports found nothing wrong in Pagulayan’s actuations and in fact seeded him in the succeeding legs of the tour.

He even won the Singapore leg of this year’s Guinness 9-Ball tournament, which is the same leg last year where Makabenta and Fajardo have accused him guilty of misconduct.

Pagulayan produced evidence that the sponsors of the event, Guinness Beer, even offered him to be their ambassador.

The investigating prosecutor found probable cause to prosecute Makabenta and Fajardo for the crime of libel. He found that the articles, which the two caused to be printed, tended to impeach Pagulayan’s honesty, virtue and reputation and to discredit and dishonor him in the minds of those reading the articles.

The prosecutor also found malice in the articles because they were prompted by hatred and personal ill will and tended to injure Pagulayan’s reputation.

If found guilty, the two respondents face paying monetary awards to Pagulayan and a one-year jail term.