Dugaduga’s arraignment rescheduled to April 10

The arraignment yesterday of the libel cases filed against Aksyon Radyo manager Carlo Dugaduga was rescheduled for April 10 because Regional Trial Court Branch 5 Judge Douglas Marigomen was hospitalized.

Dugaduga is facing a P10-million libel suit filed by Cebu Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr.

The vice governor had filed two counts of libel against broadcaster Gilbert Wagas, who runs a noontime block-time program “Wagas ug Gawasnon” over dyXR Aksyon Radyo, for allegedly attacking the products of Lacto Bacillus Pafi Techno Resources Corp., which the vice governor owns. Dugaduga was indicted as the station manager.

The accused was accompanied by fellow broadcaster Leo Lastimosa, the Cebu president of Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), during the supposed arraignment yesterday. Dugaduga is presently out on bail.  Radio broadcasters in Cebu strongly denounced the filing of the libel case against their fellow radioman and described it as a way of suppressing press freedom.

The Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office recommended P30,000 and P40,000 for the two counts of libel. Broadcasters, however, criticized it because the bail for each count of libel is only P10,000.

But Talisay City Prosecutor Marshall Rubia explained that he based his recommendation of the bail amount on the complainant’s status in the community and the degree of the libelous statements aired by Wagas.  — Rene U. Borromeo/LPM