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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Tuesday, February 21, 2017
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ILOILO City – A regional trial court (RTC) in Pasay City found former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel “Boy” Mejorada guilty of four counts of libel.
Mejorada — a staunch critic of Ilonggo senator Franklin Drilon — was sentenced with a jail term of up to four years.
Drilon hauled Mejorada to court in 2014 for the latter’s social media and blog posts accusing the former of involvement in alleged irregularities in construction projects, including the circumferential road in Pavia, Iloilo; the Iloilo Convention Center in Mandurriao district; and the Guimaras-Iloilo Ferry Terminal.
“The records of any case is bereft of any showing that Mejorada verified his stories [sic],” a statement from Drilon’s camp quoted the RTC Branch 188 decision penned by Presiding Judge Rowena Nieves A. Tan.
“Accused claimed that his accusations were based on established and documented facts, and yet he never presented any proof of such accusation.”
In the statement, Drilon said, “My family and I are grateful that the court’s decision confirms the truth — that Mejorada is merely peddling lies and malicious stories to further whatever ulterior motive he has.”
The Senate president pro tempore said the decision “only validates the fact that Mejorada was motivated by pure malice.”
Drilon said Mejorada himself admitted in a Senate hearing that he had no material evidence to prove his allegations and merely relied on online sources such as Wikipedia.
“Mejorada will stop at nothing to ruin my name and my credibility as a public servant,” the senator said. “My only recourse was to invoke the aid of the law.”
In an emailed statement, Mejorada said the court decision was a “temporary defeat.”
“My lawyer will file a motion for reconsideration within the 15-day period granted by the court,” he said. “If this [motion] is denied, we will appeal the case all the way to the Supreme Court…”
Insisting that the Iloilo Convention Center was “overpriced,” Mejorada claimed the government “spent more than P700 million for a facility that was originally pegged at P200 million.”
“I have finally obtained documents that show the bidding process wasn’t strictly followed, and the award of the contract was illegal and void,” he said, further claiming that “safety issues were set aside.”
Mejorada also claimed the projects on Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue (Diversion Road) and the circumferential road were “substandard.”
“I feel sad not for myself but for freedom of the press, and transparency and accountability,” he said of the court decision.
On Facebook, Mejorada said: “I know that in the eyes of God and the people, what I did was for the truth and justice. Please continue to pray for me as I face this most difficult challenge in my whole life. …
“I pray for Senator Franklin Drilon. May he be enlightened and make amends to the people [sic]. To quote Senator Ping Lacson, a plunderer is a worse criminal than a murderer.”/PN
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