Enrile son’s libel case vs priest dismissed

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City court has permanently dismissed a libel case filed by Cagayan Rep. Juan “Jack” Ponce Enrile Jr. against Fr. Robert Reyes in connection with the latter’s statements aired in a television show more than 12 years ago, The STAR learned yesterday.

In a one-page order dated May 16, Judge Ma. Belen Ringpis-Liban of the Regional Trial Court Branch 100 granted the motion seeking the permanent dismissal of the case filed by Enrile.

Reyes, through lawyer Rolando Cruz-Sibal, asked the court on April 25 to rule in favor of the permanent dismissal of the case. The lawyer noted that Enrile’s camp failed to revive the libel case more than two years after it was provisionally dismissed in 2011 after Enrile failed to attend any of the scheduled hearings for the case.

The case stemmed from the statements aired by Reyes on the Nov. 20, 2000 episode of the now defunct GMA 7 show “Extra, Extra” hosted by Paolo Bediones.

Reyes – who was being interviewed about his experiences during the martial law era – talked about his nephew, Ernest Robert Lucas, who was shot dead on Sept. 21, 1975 in Makati City, allegedly by Enrile.

“Whenever I see Juan Ponce Enrile and Jackie Enrile, I say ‘you murdered my nephew and no justice was served.’ It is good to remind the public,” he said during the interview.

In filing the case against Reyes and Bediones, the Cagayan congressman claimed that he suffered mental anguish, serious anxiety, besmirched reputation, and social humiliation because of the priest’s allegations. He sought at least P2 million in moral damages from the respondents.

On April 23, 2002, assistant city prosecutor Rossana Morales-Montojo recommended the filing of the libel case against Reyes, but dismissed the charge against Bediones for lack of merit.

Reyes, who was the parish priest of the University of the Philippines in Diliman when the case was filed, posted P10,000 bail after he was briefly detained at the Quezon City Jail.

Lucas shooting

Enrile repeatedly denied killing the priest’s nephew.

Last month, Enrile’s campaign for a Senate seat hit a snag after a report released by whistleblower organization WikiLeaks revived the issue of his alleged participation in the incident.

The report, allegedly written by then US Ambassador William Sullivan, said some sources at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed that it was Enrile who shot Lucas.

“NBI sources have completed their investigation and have indicated to us that both the Enrile boy and his bodyguard are liable to prosecution,” read the cable.

“We are not informed as to specific charges NBI would prefer, although some NBI sources have told us unequivocally, and contrary to Secretary Enrile’s assurances to Ambassador, that Enrile’s son did the shooting,” it added, referring to then defense minister and now Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the congressman’s father.

The younger Enrile dubbed the revival of the controversy as part of a demolition job against his candidacy.

“I’d like to state categorically that I had nothing to do with the incident in 1975 wherein Ernest Lucas, Jr. was killed,” he said in an earlier statement.

“I was tried and found innocent in court. These are all on public record and the public can look at them and decide for themselves,” he added.