Cendaña files counter-affidavit on libel, cyberlibel complaint filed by Quiboloy
MANILA — Akbayan Party List Rep. Percival Cendaña filed on Friday his counter-affidavit on the libel and cyber libel complaint filed against him by Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy.
In his counter-affidavit, Cendaña asked the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office to dismiss the complaint, saying it “failed to establish actual malice as an element of libel or cyber libel involving public figures.”
“I respectfully submit that these are insufficient to determine prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of convction to warrant or justify criminal prosecution for libel or cyber libel,” Cendaña’s counter-affidavit stated.
The lawmaker denied he committed libel or cyber libel, adding that the elements necessary to bring his statements outside the protection afforded to good-faith public commentary under the Constitution and applicable jurisprudence have not been established.
“Freedom of expression and the public interest require the dismissal of the complaint,” Cendaña’s counter-affidavit read.
“The statements attributed to me must be understood in the proper context: They principally conern matters of legitimate public interest, honest opinion and fair comment of congressional investigations and publicly reported criminal proceedings from human and sex trafficking in the Philippines and the US… and advocating for the accountability of public and influential personalities, and the rights of victims of serious offenses,” it added.
Cendaña tagged the complaint against him as “harassment.”
“Sana sa halip na magfile ng ganitong harassment cases sa mga kritiko, magfocus nalang si Pastor Apollo Quiboloy doon sa paghahanda sa kanyang napipintong extradition,” he said in an interview after he filed his counter-affidavit.
“Ipinakita natin sa ating counter-affidavit na walang libelous sa ating ginawa at sinabi, sapagkat matagal na pong iniimbestigahan itong mga kaso ni Pastor Apollo Quiboloy at nakarating na nga po ito sa investigation sa Senado. Kaya lahat ng ating sinabi ay hindi po ito iba sa mga nabanggit na at napag-usapan na sa mga Senate committee hearings,” Cendaña added.