A WARRANT of arrest for the offense of libel was issued for Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) officials led by former president and chief executive officer (CEO) Arnel Casanova.
The court sided with libel charges filed by Robert John Sobrepena against the BCDA officials in 2012 over advertisements placed in national newspapers believed to attack his reputation.
Judge Maria Paz Reyes-Yson from the Pasig Regional Trial Court found probable cause to hold the accused for the offense of libel citing Casanova with Felicito Payumo, former directors Zorayda Amelia Alonzo, Ma. Aurora Geotina Garcia, Elmar Gomez, and Maximo Sangil, and holdover director Ferdinand Golez in the warrant of arrest issued April 10 but received only this week.
Yson detailed the elements of libel present in the case enough to merit the arrest of the group as well as hearings.
Yson said in her decision “after painstaking examination of the allegations in the information, the resolution of the Public Prosecutor and the documents attached to the information, the court holds there is probable cause to believe the accused movants together with accused Desierto committed the offense charged and should be held for trial as they caused the publication of the subject Notice on April 10, 2012 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The complaint alleges the BCDA did the libellous act “On April 10, 2012 in Pasig City and within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, the accused, conspiring and confederating together and all of the mutually helping and aiding one another with evident purpose of impeaching the virtue, honesty, integrity and reputation of Robert John Sobrepena with clear intent of causing irreparable injury to the complainants reputation and standing, did then and there wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously execute and make a malicious publication of Notice to the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper, containing false, malicious and highly defamatory statements again the said complainant.”
The advertisement cites the connections of Sobrepena to the College Assurance Plans and Metro Rail Development Transit Corporation which the courts said did not have anything to do with the Camp John Hay issues.
Today, Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo) is waiting for the BCDA payment of P1.4 billion in cash before it vacates the property.
The ruling stemmed from the previous Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc. (PDRCI) decision that CJHDevCo has to vacate the leased areas and the BCDA to pay the billions as reimbursement for rental payments of the developer.
Vivencio Dizon, newly installed President and CEO of the BCDA is treading carefully into Camp John Hay issues and is focused on strengthening its legal team.
Dizon said a legal process is ongoing between CJH Development Corporation, the BCDA and John Hay Management Corporation while ordering a legal audit for the government owned agency.
Sobrepena is seeking 100 million in damages when he filed the case in 2012.
Bail for Casanova and his co-accused was set at 10,000 each.
