Over comments on facebook Samar PB member sues LP colleague for libel

CATBALOGAN CITY, SAMAR, Philippines — A Provincial Board member here filed libel charges against his colleague in the Liberal Party over certain comments and opinions posted on Facebook, exposing animosity among partymates.

In a press conference called in by LP members in the Samar PB last Tuesday, PB Member Alvin Abejuela confirmed to The Freeman that the libel complaint was filed in court on Monday against Urbano Paul Alli, his partymate who lost in the May 2013 polls.

According to Abejuela, he could not let go the allegedly harsh comments and threads posted by Alli on the open FB group, named Bantay Probinsiya, about corruption issues hounding the provincial government for a few months hence.

"I have been texting and calling him (Alli) since last month to stop posting harsh and personal comments against us in the LP, particularly against me, because some of his posts are already way below the belt, but he won't heed. I already warned him and I have no choice but to seek legal remedy," Abejuela said.

Abejuela however did not provide the media the details of the complaints just yet, but said that, per advice of his lawyer, these will be divulged as soon as it will be delivered officially to the attention of the respondent.

Alli, for his part, told The Freeman that he already knew that libel charges were being cooked against him even prior to the press conference on Tuesday, which he even attended.

He however branded the move of partymate Abejuela as an attempt to establish a chilling effect and gag netizens, particularly those in FB's Bantay Probinsiya group, from voicing out their opinions and sentiments over purported anomalies in the province.

When confirmation of the libel charges went out also on FB, Alli replied with this post: "I am ready to face the accusation. I will thank you for it. Let the public know the truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God! I swore to uphold the truth, and purse the ideals of good government, as a member of the Liberal Party-Samar."

He added that the libel case will not silence him amid a deafening truth and told further that charges will not affect the voice of the majority clamoring for true change in Samar. (FREEMAN)