Antipolo mayor cries libel over comic books

Antipolo City Mayor Angelito Gatlabayan has filed a P100-million libel suit against former Interior and Local Government Secretary and now congressional bet Ronaldo Puno, Rizal second district Rep. Victor Sumulong and three others for allegedly circulating comic books portraying him as a drug lord and someone with unexplained wealth.

In a seven-page complaint filed last Friday, Gatlabayan also named Antipolo mayoral bet Susana Say, vice mayoral candidate Troadia Reyes and their campaign manager, barangay chairman Edilberto Lagasca, as respondents.

Gatlabayan accused the five of conniving in producing and circulating a comic book titled "Antipolo sa Kuko ni Mayor," which he said described him as a "drug lord."

The comic books, he added, accused him of owning big real estate properties, which he denied.

Puno is running against Gatlabayan’s wife, Josefina, in Rizal’s first congressional district. — Rainier Allan Ronda