ZAMBOANGA MAYOR BENG Climaco has maintained her “victory” over defeated mayoralty bet and former lawmaker Celso Lobregat whom she filed a libel suit, but had been dismissed by the Office of the City Prosecutor.
The libel case stemmed from a video that Lobregat showed to journalists during a news conference on May 8 where a truck loaded with rice was spotted getting inside the Climaco Compound in Barangay Santa Maria.
Lobregat alleged that Climaco was using government resources to further boost her political campaign and constitutes an election offense and therefore punishable under the law (Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines).
“You decide for yourself, you can see for yourself, these are government resources that are being delivered to the house of the Mayor. You are not supposed to use government resources to your advantage,” Lobregat was quoted as saying at the news conference.
According to Climaco, the former lawmaker assumed “facts and circumstances” which were untrue and baseless; and without first confirming and verifying the truth from which Lobregat’s assertions were based and that he allegedly fabricated and concocted stories thereby tainting her image and reputation. “The imputation of such wrongdoing by Congressman Lobregat to the undersigned is libelous and malicious and intended to discredit and maligned the undersigned’s reputation,” Climaco’s complaint said.
Climaco stood by her charge.
But City Prosecutor Herminia Enero, in her decision, said: “The questioned utterances (of Lobregat) were fair comments and observations based on established facts related to official function of the complainant (Climaco), thus not libelous.” Enero dismissed the Climaco’s complaint for insufficiency of evidence.
Climaco said: “Although the decision was made (by Enero), I will stand by my charge. It is public knowledge how I was politically demolished by my opponent, and that (libel) case was the boiling point.”
She added: “For the record, the dismissal of the case did not touch on the truth of the allegations therein and instead focused on my being a public figure in a heated election campaign. While I respect the decision, I maintain the truth of my allegations and stand by every word of that complaint.”
“Even during political season, candidates should stand by the truth whatever they say. The courts, and even the public, must hold all of us accountable for every allegation we make. Making false allegations against another in the name of politics reflect a person’s character and inability to stand by his own merits to persuade the public to support him.”
Climaco said the dismissal of her complaint against Lobregat is actually a victory. “My opponent could have proved his allegations point blank, something he could never have done because his allegations against me were all lies,” she said.
The mayor has also thanked all those who supported and voted for her.
“I thank the people of Zamboanga for standing by me during this trying time. Our vindication comes from the truth that none of his allegations against me were true, and that the dismissal (of the complaint) was due to my being a public figure. May we continue to move forward free from the bitter lies of those who fail to keep the welfare of our people at heart; as in the last elections, we have seen that good will always prevail and the truth will set us free,” Climaco said. (Zamboanga Post)
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