BI officer nabbed for libel

CEBU, Philippines - An immigration official facing libel case filed by Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro was arrested yesterday dawn at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport based on a warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 led by beleaguered Police Officer 3 Arnold Bocayong served the warrant of arrest against immigration supervisor Fernando San Ramon Jr. at 1:30 a.m. in his airport office.

The arrest warrant was issued by RTC Branch 16 Judge Sylvia Paderanga.

San Ramon, a resident of Villa Aurora Village, Barangay Kasambagan, was detained at the CIDG-7 detention cell for seven hours but was released at 8:30 am after posting the P10,000 bail.

The case stemmed from the libel case that Castro filed in March 2009 against San Ramon because of newspaper reports quoting the latter to have accused the lady prosecutor of demanding an overtime pay from the Mactan Cebu International Airport where she was detailed then even if she was not entitled to it.

Castro impleaded acting immigration regional director Casimiro Madarang III in her complaint.

San Ramon earlier accused Castro of threatening to file a case against him for allegedly not acting on her request for a monthly allowance of P20,000 from the amount paid by airline companies to immigration officers.

He also accused the prosecutor of demanding an overtime pay from the airport where the latter used to be detailed as officer of the Board of Special Inquiry of the Bureau of Immigration.

Criminal and administrative complaints were subsequently filed by San Ramon against Castro before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.

However, Castro, who vehemently denied the accusations, also filed a counter charge for libel against San Ramon. – (FREEMAN)