NBI files raps vs printing press owner

More than a week after raiding a printing press that allegedly mass reproduced anti-GMA posters, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) formally filed charges yesterday against its owner as well as the client who placed the order.

NBI Interpol chief Ricardo Diaz said supervising agent Dominador Villanueva filed a complaint of "Unlawful Use of Means of Publication and Unlawful Utterances Covered Under Revised Penal Code 154" against businessman Michael Fitzgerald Agbayani Ligot, owner the All Ways Graphic and Printing Service, and the alleged client, Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) member Noel Lopez.

The complaint was filed with the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Violation of the RPC 154, however, carries a jail term of only one to six months and a minimum fine of P200.

Diaz said they might also file other charges, including inciting to sedition, "but only if there is enough evidence."

The NBI has yet to determine if the role of the owner in the production of the posters was purely business or if he was a co-conspirator in efforts to topple the administration.

So far, he said, they only have circumstantial evidence that points to the latter.

Last June 20, agents from the Interpol Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD), armed with a search warrant issued by Quezon City Executive Judge Natividad Giron-Dizon, raided the printing press located at 74-A Molave street in Project 3, Quezon City.

Minutes after serving warrant, members of Sanlakas appeared at the printing press, the NBI said.

"This showed that they were immediately informed and even called for reinforcements after seeing that there were a lot of NBI agents," Diaz said.

The NBI stressed they followed procedure and gave Ligot the opportunity to air his side.

Ligot was served a subpoena last June 24, but he failed to appear at the Interpol office last June 27.

The deadline was extended for three days, but he was still a no-show.

The printing press was allegedly producing posters that depict President Arroyo as local heroine "Darna" with the words "Palayain ang Bayan sa Utang" and as her archenemy "Valentina."

They recovered a job order slip for the "Valentina" posters, showing that a certain Noel Lopez from the FDC made the request.