CEBU, Philippines – Talisay City Administrator John Yre De los Reyes has formally filed a libel case against radio commentator Gabriel Bonjoc, host of "Super Gabriel Bonjoc Onboard Saksi", which airs every Saturday over dySS.
The case was filed before the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office.
In his complaint, De los Reyes alleged that he has been the subject of degrading remarks "designed to destroy his reputation and removal from his position since October 4."
"I am the most targeted public official of Gabriel Bonjoc. He has a personal agenda of removing me from my post. Like when he said, 'stop being a public official and I will stop making comments about you.' It is sounding like a threat," De los Reyes said in his complaint.
De los Reyes, who is the son of Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes, is demanding an indemnity of P1 million to cover moral damages.
But in a separate interview with reporters, Bonjoc, who is also a barangay councilman of Poblacion and news reporter of dySS covering Talisay City, said he is not cowed by the libel charges filed against him.
"Akong gi-welcome ang iyang pag-file og libel sa akoa. I am just doing my job," Bonjoc said as he belied the statement of the city administrator that he was the most targeted public official in his radio commentary.
According to Bonjoc, the commentary he made is not libelous and that they are valid issues concerning Talisay.
"Personally, wa gyud ko niya kaila. Nahitabo lang nga naay isyu nga kinahanglan niyang tubagon. Ako, wala gyud ko'y personal (agenda) against niya," Bonjoc added.
John Yre cited that Bonjoc's humiliated him by calling him "prinsipe sa kangitngit" or prince of darkness.
"Ah, di pa ka gustong tawgon kag prinsipe, kay tawgon kag prinsesa... prinsesa sa way klarong gingharian, wa pa matino nga gingharian. Unya ganahan ka?" John Yre said.
According to John Yre, he was able to record, hear and transcribe the commentaries of Bonjoc aired last October 4 and 11.
John Yre already communicated with the management of GMA Network on the commentaries made by Bonjoc against him.
In a separate interview, the manager of RGMA-dySS Bobby Nalzaro, in a text message to The Freeman said he welcomes the charges filed against Bonjoc.
"That's his prerogative," Nalzaro said, adding that he reviewed the tape aired during the program, which John Yre requested from them.
Nalzaro said he found nothing libelous on the statement and the commentaries made by Bonjoc.
"Anybody can file charges against somebody based on fabricated charges. Government officials like John Yre should not be onion-skinned. Nabag-ohan lang sa position," Nalzaro added.