Couple raps 2 lawyers and staff for libel

An American national and his Filipina wife yesterday sued two lawyers and three of the lawyers' staff workers before the Regional Trial Court for allegedly maligning their reputations and demanded P3.3 million in damages.

Spouses Robert Browning and wife Esterlina claimed that lawyers Inocencio Dela Cerna and Edmerito Gobonsing, together with Donnabelle Nazareno and Joel Basanal connived with each other to destroy their credibility.

Nazareno is Dela Cerna's secretary while Basanal is his driver. Both claimed that they saw Browning, accompanied by two armed bodyguards, enter Dela Cerna's office and threatened the lawyer.

It was learned that a business rivalry between Browning and Gobonsing, who both operate an Internet Café at a building in Sanciangko Street managed by Dela Cerna, was the cause of the conflict.

The American national owns Browning's Internet Café located at Villacampa-Capuras Building, while Gobonsing also operates the same kind of business on the same building.

In his affidavit, Dela Cerna said that as the caretaker of the building, he called the attention of both Gobonsing and Browning when he learned of their stiff business rivalry.

Dela Cerna said Browning got mad after he ordered the foreigner to remove the banner of his Internet café, which reportedly covered the banner of Gobonsing's internet cafe.

The lawyer added that Browning and two unidentified men with guns went to his office and accused him of favoring Gobonsing.

He added that Browning allegedly destroyed things inside his office and destroyed the door lock when he banged the door after he stepped out of the office.

But Browning denied the allegations which, he described as "untruthful statements, highly libelous" intended only to besmirch his "good name, character and reputation."

In their four-page sworn statement prepared by lawyer Adelino Sitoy, the Browning couple did not deny that the American national went to Dela Cerna's office together with two bodyguards.

But Browning said the defendants made untruthful statements by saying that he is a "quarrelsome and troublemaker, a dishonest and fraudulent person and a person engaged in some mischievous, malicious and fraudulent schemes to gain over his competitors."

According to Browning, because of said accusations, contained in affidavits executed by the defendants, the plaintiffs suffered loss of business opportunities and loss of goodwill. - Rene U. Borromeo