MANILA (AP) - Journalists who accused President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's husband of stifling press freedom said Wednesday they will pursue legal action against him, despite his promise to drop libel cases against reporters.
Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo said early this month he was going to drop libel suits seeking 140 million pesos (US$3 million; ?2.23 million) in damages from 40 journalists who allegedly defamed him by linking him to corruption and electoral fraud.
Mike Arroyo, who survived high-risk heart surgery last month, said he wanted only peace and reconciliation.
Ellen Tordesillas, a columnist for the Malaya newspaper and among those he has sued, said the lawsuit against him was not to counter the libel charges, but a defense of press freedom.
"The fact is, nobody no matter how influential or wealthy he is, has the right to suppress the right of journalists to press freedom and the right of the public to know," she said.
The journalists are seeking 12.5 million pesos (US$272,000; ?202,170) in damages. They launched the civil suit citing abuse of power and impinging on the freedom of the press.
An attorney from a prominent family, Mike Arroyo has no official powers but is regarded as an influential back-room operator.
The libel suits stemmed mostly from stories alleging corruption and claims the president's husband helped her rig the closely contested 2004 presidential election.
In a statement, the journalists expressed doubts about his motives for announcing the withdrawal of the libel suits, which they said were meant to "erode the watchdog function of the press."
"Instead of realizing, as might have been the case in a true chastening, that he has filed whimsical, malicious, wholesale suits, and apologizing, he presents himself as in fact the one wronged," the statement said.
Tordesillas said she believes Mike Arroyo's promise to drop his legal action was a "mere press relations move," adding no case has been withdrawn yet.
Juris Soliman, a spokeswoman for the president's husband, said Arroyo gave his word to drop the suits. "He is an honest and sincere person, and he meant it when he said that," she said. "If they don't want to withdraw (their class action suit), that's their prerogative."