The Court of Appeals has granted the petition of presidential spouse Jose Miguel Arroyo seeking to bar the Makati regional trial court from proceeding with the preliminary hearing of the P12.5 million class suit filed by journalists for Arroyo’s alleged attacks on press freedom.
The CA agreed with Arroyo that continuing with the preliminary hearing on an amended complaint filed by the journalists would cause “irreparable injury” to Arroyo who has opposed the acceptance of the amended complaint.
Without the CA injunction, the preliminary hearing by the Makati RTC would render ineffectual any judgment that the appellate court might promulgate on the petition filed by Arroyo on May 24.
“Based on the pleadings submitted, the… preliminary hearing or its continuance will unduly expose petitioner to the rigors of trial in the case below even before the jurisdictional issues raised in the present petition are resolved,” said a four-page decision of the CA Ninth Division penned by Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta.
The journalists who are seeking redress for the spate of libel charges filed by Arroyo, sought P487.5 million in damages in the original complaint. In the amended complaint, the journalists reduced the damage claim to P12.5 million.
Based on his computation, Arroyo said the 39 complainant media personalities and organizations should post docket fees of P9 million each.
Arroyo’s lawyer, Ruy Rondain, said the respondents used the word “each” in the original complaint.
“It is easier to believe that ‘each’ private respondent wants to recover. There would have been no reason for so many of them to join as plaintiffs otherwise. One would have been sufficient. Especially so, since they ‘each’ claim a personal injury. The bottom line is that private respondents intended to mislead to save on docket fees,” he said.
Arroyo said Makati Judge Zenaida Galapate-Laguilles committed grave abuse of discretion in admitting the amended complaint without the payment of docket fees.
Docket fees are computed based on a specific percent of damages sought by a complainant.
Arroyo also said the court has yet to acquire jurisdiction over the case with the private respondent’s non-payment of proper docket fees.
The Rules of Court requires payment of docket fee before a court takes jurisdiction of a case.
“They will invoke that magic incantation overused by the reckless: that technical matters should yield to the merits of the case. Not in this situation. The payment of docket fees is not a mere technicality of law or procedure. A relaxation of the Rules cannot be so loosely invoked every time something goes awry,” said Rondain.
Arroyo, in his answer to the amended complaint, said the plaintiffs attempted to dilute the libelous character of the articles sued upon them, obviously to make it appear that complainant is “thin skinned and trigger happy.”
He further said the journalists have no cause of action, having declared that the class suit is nothing more than a “social experiment” and that they merely wanted to send the presidential spouse a message.
Named respondents in the petition were Laguilles, Ninez Cacho-Olivares, Marites Vitug, Glenda Gloria, Ricky Carandang, Romulo Marinas, Gina Capili-Inciong, Gerry Baldo, Sherwin Olaes, Lito Tugadi, Jing Santos, Lito Banayo, Maria Concepcion Cruz, Miriam Grace Go, Romina Gonzalez, Gemma Bagayaua,
William Esposo, Jose Pavia, Rowena Paraan, Sweet May Cawicaan, Jofelle Tesorio, Jose Bimbo Santos, Rachel Khan, Ma. Christina Rodriguez, Yvonne Chua, Alcuin Papa, Ramon Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo, Conrado de Quiros, Nixon Cua, Vergel Santos, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Inc.
Also impleaded in the case were Malaya’s JP Lopez, Regina Bengco, Minnie Advincula, Ellen Tordesillas, Lito Banayo, and Francisco Tatad. Respondents are seeking redress for the spate of libel charges filed by Arroyo against journalists perceived to be critical of his wife’s administration. – Evangeline de Vera
talaga naman!
nabili na lahat ng mag-asawang gahaman ang bawat departamento ng gobyerno at lumalabas na isa na itong sindikato!
ang bawat mapadikit sa mag-asawang ito ay nawawala na ang prinsipyo at sunudsunuran na lamang kung ano ang gustong mangyari ng kanilang amo.
ang RP noon na republic of the philippines ay republic of the pidals na ngayon!
guwarrrrk!
naku po diyos ko!! ano na talaga ang nangyayari sa bayan natin!kung sa dito sa us ay may 911,(the twin tower tragedy last september 11 2001 which killed hundreds or thousand innocent civillians} na pilit ng nilalagpasan ng mga mamamayan dito,sa ating bayan pilipinas ay meron tayong
411( height ni GMA at sana na tuluyan na si FG noong april 11 2007 sa st lukes hospital)na ang unos ay walang tigil na pahirap sa ating mga mamayan pilipino, dukot ng mag asawang pidal,kasama ang mga demonyong alipores niya!!
The court cannot seem to understand why we are pursuing our case against mike arroyo despite his having dropped his libel suits against us.
The can’t see out point that it’s a matter of principle and that it’s precedent setting so that media would not be at the mercy of those who are in power.
Para bang we are compelled to accept Mike Arroyo’s “forgiveness”.
this is something for our future leaders to ponder on, a true leader is supported by four things:the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous and the valor of the brave.. but all this things are nothing without a ruler who knows the art of ruling!! this four things doesn`t have GMA, thats why her administration is so graft ridden..she is not a ruler.. and she can never be one!! God bless our country!! God bless the filipinos!!
Wow, a criminal being protected by the court, eh? My condolence to the Filipino people, who, under this Mafioso, will never see even a figment of their dream to see a better Philippines. Frankly, with Filipinos learning all the bad habits from these crooks leading, I may just as well concentrate on helping authorities in Japan to bar Filipinos to be deployed by the Great Pimp here. Mahirap na, baka dalhin ang mga masamang natutunan nila sa mga Pidal dito sa Japan. Mahirap iyong mga sanay na mag-circumvent ng batas.
Kawawang bansa! Condolence, Ellen, sa pagkamatay ng hustisya sa Pilipinas! Next, siguro doon na ninyo isampa ang kaso ninyo sa ICJ.
Tangina si Tariray nanood ng Les Miserables. Gusto pang i-recruit si Lea Salonga to be her PR director sa America! Talaga naman! Kanino charge ang pampanood ng mga ungas. Maliit ang 100 dollars kahit na sa pinakamalayong upuan in fact sa mga palabas sa Broadway I know. Last time nga na nanood ako ng play sa Broadway, full packed, may natirang dalawang upuan for me and my son, ang layo ng upuan pero it cost me 150 dollars each.
Please pakisiguro lang na nagbayad si unano at mga kasama niya sa sarili nilang bulsa, but not with money looted from the treasury! Golly, feeling siguro ng ungas sila ang may ari ng Pilipinas.
At ito talaga ang kahihinatnan ng lahat ng mga bagay na may kinalaman sa mga kaso na idinadaan sa husgado. Kailangan nating harapin ang katotohanan. Mula doon sa batas na umiiral ay doon din manggagaling ang mga batas na sasangga sa pagpapairal ng isa pang batas. Hindi naman ito bagong bagay,,, matagal na panahon ng umiiral ito,,, hal. kapag may inihatag na hatol ang isang korte, ang gagawin ng kabilang panig na apektado ay halukayin himay himayin ang mga sinaunang paghatol ng mga tawag nila ay mga dakilang mga hukom ng amerika, britanya, at ng ating bansa.,,, mula dito, gagawin nila itong reperensiya upang baliin o susugan ang naipasyang hatol na maaring sa isang panig ay hindi katanggap tanggap subalit sa kabila nito ang hukuman ay dapat na humatol mali man ito o tama sa mata ng mamamayan. Ang batas natin ay labanan ng mga dalubhasang mga utak ng ating hukuman. At upang baliin ito ay kailangan gumamamit ng isa pang mas nakahihigit na utak at ang kasaysayan ay patuloy at patuloy na iikot habang ang ating mga mamamayan ay patuloy na nagdurusa. Hindi ko sinasabing alisin na ang hukuman, ang sinasabi ko , masakit tanggapin na magkaminsan ang hatol ng hukuman ay pabor lamang sa mga may kakayahan na magbayad ng malaki upang maiba ang hatol.
Ocayvalle,
Ang ganda ng puntos mo!
Meron lang akong isang naalala. Naging Statesman ng isang bansa. Meron siya ng 4things na sinasabi mo (yung ika-3 nga eh, Fear of the Lord yun sa kanya) kaya meron siyang wisdom. Naka 4 na taon siya sa seminary. Nang maging presidente siya, gusto niyang ibalik ang bansa niya kay Kristong Hari. Maraming nagalit. Pero di siya natakot sa mga nagalit sa kanya. Matalino siya pero humble. Meron siyang Thomistic philosophy. Kung ganyan ang presidente ng Pilipinas, magwawala ka sa galit pag siya ay pinaslang ng mga taong ayaw marinig ang pangalan ni Jesus Christ. At kung ganyan nga ang presidente ng Pilipinas, huwag na tayong magtaka kung tatagal lang siya ng ilang taon. Yung statesman na sinasabi ko, paglabas ng simbahan pinagpapalo ng machete ng mga galit sa kanya dahil kay Kristo.
Nakakalungkot!
“Pres.Arroyo goes to Broadway, watches Lea Salonga in Les Miserables ”
TO GLORIA PIDAL:
Do you hear the people sing
Singing the song of angry men
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
TDC, these are lyrics from one of the songs in Les Miserables?
I wonder if Gloria got the message. I doubt it.
Ellen:
Talagang jurisdictional ang filing fees. If the proper filing fees are not paid, the court has no jurisdiction.
I am reminded of some old case by, I believe Clarence Darrow, nabasa ko noong freshman year ko. The jury awarded one dollar for actual damages sa cliente niya, and half a million (malaki na noong 40s) as punitive damages (exemplary damages sa atin).
Nagalit ang cliente ni Darrow, bakit daw piso lang, talaga namang naapi sila? Sabi ni Darrow, the jury did you a favor. Consequential damages (actual ang tawag sa atin) are “income”, and are taxable. Punitive damages are not taxable. Remembering this anecdote, I would do the following:
Were I the plaintiff, I would reduce the actual damages sought, and leave the award of the exemplary damages “to the sound discretion of the Court,” arguing, that as laymen to the law, we do not know what is sufficient punishment (punitive damages) or exemplary punishment to deter the repetition of the transgression.
In fact, bilang pang-insulto, I would ask, as actual damages, only the attorney’s fees, para naman hindi galing sa bulsa ko. Then I would ask for one peso – not because piso lang ang halaga ng pride ko, but because, I just want the pronouncement of wrongdoing on his part. I don’t want his bloody money (literally bloody, considering the report on extra-judicial killings). I would, of course, retain the prayer for “exemplary” or punitive damages. If the Court asks, are you here for the one peso, I will argue, Your Honor I am here to ask that the Court prevent a repetition by awarding exemplary damages, if I prove my case.
“Ang dagdag, ang dagdag.”
So babaan niyo lang ang prayer niyo para magkasya sa inyong filing fees.
“Ang dagdag, ang dagdag” ulit.
Once kasya na ang filing fees sa amount of prayer, the CA case will be rendered moot. Puwede na namang tumuloy sa RTC.
What is CA? It’s “Corruption of Arroyo”. Corruption within the Court of Appeals is as rampant as the other judicial branches. Not long ago, there was an expose of these CA Justices for a fee. An investigation was reported to have conducted but as usual, we hear nothing of it again until now.
Kung iyang Supreme Court takot sa Malacanang, iyan pang Court of Appeals?
Bad news for Senator Brenda, the loud mouth arrogant balimbing senator whose son’s mysterious death is still no closure. The Chinese Embassy and the Fil-Chinese Community are now up in arms against her recent remark about the Chinese having invented corruption. Coming from the Senate Chairman of Foreign Service Committee, the remark was not only uncalled for but an insult to billions of Chinese worldwide. Pati ang mga may dugong Chinese tinamaan sa sinabi niya. Corruption is not limited to one particular race of people. Brenda with her brain now moved to her ass should know. Tapos na ang political career niya. Kung may balak pa siyang tumakbo in the future, ilalaglag siya ng mga Tsinoy. Her slur now has worsen China’s involvement in the ZTE deal. The Chinese officials involved are in hot water; those who bribed Abalos and the rest of the Malacanang crooks. Matalino daw…lalong napahamak ang amo niya. Iyan ang napapala sa mga daldalera at butangerang tulad ni Miriam. Buti nga. Her formal apology is useless. The Chinese is very sensitive to such attack and she will be long remembered for that.
Atty, Rondain’s argument is faulty because we paid correct docket fees for the P12.5 million damage claim.
As expected, Abalos filed a P20M libel suit against Joey De Venecia. Kung kaya niyang mag-alok ng P200M, barya lang ang P20M suit. That’s the common practice of the rich criminals.
Dahil may pera, libel suit lang ang alam kapag nabisto at nabulgar. Magaling ang amo niyang si Mike diyan di ba? Masama lang ang tingin sa kanila, libel suit agad. Obviously, the libel suit is to counter the impeachment filed in the House. Iniipit lang niya si Joey dahil tiyak na tatawagin sa Congress to testify against Abalos. Teka, bakit si Joey lang?
What about Neri? Why didn’t he also file against Neri? O baka naman wala pang go-signal sa amo niya sa Malacanang.
Ellen:
I am not prescribing a course of action. I am just relating my preferences bilang brainstorm ba.
Kung quibbling lang over the filing fees, I would prefer to not fight this small issue, reduce my claim for damages, para ilaban na ang tunay na issues.
Ellen:
Ang argument ni Rondain, 12M each daw ang hingi ninyo, so kulang ang filing fees. Para maiwasan ang semantic quibbling, I would amend and ask for 320,000 each, instead of 12.5 M for the group. That disposes of his argument.
Mukhang nakuha na lahat ni Glorya ang mga magagaling na abogado. O naging OFW na din yong iba. Mahirap din namang manghusga na nabayaran na lahat pati mga Huwes. Karamihan siguro pero meron pa din mga natitirang mga may prinsipyo sa buhay. Kaya nga sabi ni Chavit kay Erap kung bakit si Saguisag kasi ang kinuha niya e wala pang naipanalo na malaking kaso tapos angal ng angal. Singit ng singit nahatulan na nga … puwede namang tumahimik na muna … para ang konsentrasyon ng mga tao ay dito sa pamilyang gahaman.
Etnad, you may be right but what you said was more of exception than the rule. Talagang mas maraming corrupt sa lahat ng dako ng ahensiya ng gobyerno ngayon kesa mga matitino. Sabihin mo nga sa akin kung sino-sino ang matitino? Ilan ang natitira/
Pechanco, I appreciate Atty’s inputs.
pechanco, tama ka din diyan sa sinabi mo na “Talagang mas maraming corrupt sa lahat ng dako ng ahensiya ng gobyerno ngayon kesa mga matitino”. May kasabihan “Tell me your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” Kung magnanakaw si Glorya otomatik magnanakaw na din lahat ang mga tao niya pero hindi lahat ng ahensiya ng Gobyerno. I mean mga tao niya kasi hindi naman lahat ng mga taong nasa ahensiya ng Gobyerno ay mga tao niya (bayaran niya). Kagaya sa SC, oo tao niya yong mga ipinasok niya pero yong iba hindi. Kaya nga may natitira pa sigurong matino. Hindi ko alam kung sino sino ang mga matitino pero nandiyan lang sila. Ipinapanalangin ko lang na sana may maglakas loob na labanan ang cancer ng ating bansa at yan ay sila Glorya at mga alipores niya.
Yang si Neri …. tao niya yan .. di ba pinagtakpan niya si Glorya .. so bayaran yan. Pero meron dind ibang klase na tao niya …. yan si Abalos …. hindi siya bayaran … siya na mismo ang kumukuha ng ka-BAYARAN …. SMile!!!!
Ellen,
““It is easier to believe that ‘each’ private respondent wants to recover. There would have been no reason for so many of them to join as plaintiffs otherwise. One would have been sufficient. Especially so, since they ‘each’ claim a personal injury. The bottom line is that private respondents intended to mislead to save on docket fees,”
Are you going to respond personally to this accusation? That you as a respondent intended to mislead to save on docket fees? Besides, what bearing does saving on docket fees have on your sentiment that Mike Arroyo INTENDED to harm you by filing his extraordinary multi-million peso lawsuit? The court must explain that too?
Easy to say sorry when you’ve caused harm to people – in my book, that person has got to pay too for the broken pieces, sorry or no sorry … a moral wrong was committed, is it enough to say I’m sorry and let’s move on? That’s why we have such a thing as compensation for moral damages.
Re Atty’s “Then I would ask for one peso – not because piso lang ang halaga ng pride ko, but because, I just want the pronouncement of wrongdoing on his part. ”
That’s what personalities who sue for libel do here – ask for a Euro…
Penchanco,
“As expected, Abalos filed a P20M libel suit against Joey De Venecia.”
Siguro para ibigay kay Neri?
Injustice talaga sa Pilipinas no matter what angle I look at it. Over here, Ellen, the court is very affordable.
People without money can avail of the welfare offered through the bar association since anyway the case will be coursed through some lawyer for filing, etc. Most cases here in fact are settled by contingency.
Beat me why people in the Philippines did not think of such minute details especially with majority of the people below poverty level when the US granted it its independence!
Fortunately, people here are not so fond of going to court to settle disputes and do not abuse the privileges available to them. Ang abusado dito iyong mga foreigners like those undocumented Filipinos, who still can have the nerve to file litigations in court contesting deportation order of the Immigration Bureau of the same ministry even when they break the immigration law of Japan with the consent of their government (passports issued by the Philippine government under fictitious names are genuine and legal tender!). It’s nauseating really.
Apparently, walang kuwenta ang mga naging leader ng bansa–karamihan–who would not and could not think beyond their own greedy selves over there. Kawawang bansa!
Mas matindi ang kasong piniresenta ni Neri-regla. Is Abaloslos planning to sue him, too.
Over here, Anna, hindi iyan tatanggapin ng korte. Instead it will order the prosecutor to order his arrest and detention for further investigation of his case prior to grand indictment.
There actually should have limits to privileges granted to criminals as a matter of fact. They are not allowed to file libel suits to people who can corroborate their statements.
One thing I can advise to people going through negotiations with these crooks in the Philippine government is make sure to put them on record with a recording machine. Joey should get himself an MP3 player that can record conversations. Puede namang isabit sa leeg as a matter of fact.
Ako, iyong cellphone ko may recording devise, video and alarm in case I get held up! Dapat meron silang ganyan to record shady deals lalo na sa bansang iyan na napuno na yata ng mga swindlers! Nakakai-yuck!
Yuko,
Baka there are areas that can detect those gadgets.
At NATO for example, you are not allowed to take your phone beyond the gates. Also, even if say, you are walking around on the NATO grounds outside office buildings your telephone must be an old generation type, i.e., doesn’t have a built in camera in it.
Ms Ellen, you mention that “The court cannot seem to understand why we are pursuing our case against mike arroyo despite his having dropped his libel suits against us..they can’t see our point that it’s a matter of principle and that it’s precedent setting so that media would not be at the mercy of those who are in power.”
Aren’t most of our courts & judges corrupt ? Maybe the Judge hearing the case of the media is probably mentally challenged !
Maybe Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta had been doing a yugyugan with Mike Arroyo?
Chabeli,
The corrupt judges become more mentally challenged when the $$$ from Gloria and Mike Pidal are personally served on them by the couriers.
Arroyo’s lawyer, Ruy Rondain, said the respondents used the word “each” in the original complaint.
“It is easier to believe that ‘each’ private respondent wants to recover. There would have been no reason for so many of them to join as plaintiffs otherwise. One would have been sufficient. Especially so, since they ‘each’ claim a personal injury. The bottom line is that private respondents intended to mislead to save on docket fees,” he said.
********************************************************************************
Game ain’t over yet Ellen, jurisdictional filing fees must be properly paid before the court has jurisdiction on your case.. Ito ang reason na nakikita ko dito na ginamit ng defensa ng abugado ni fatsu.Hindi pa tapos ang boksing. –
You can still amend your pleading at any time before a responsive pleading is served or, if the pleading is one to which no responsive pleading is permitted and the action has not been placed upon the trial calendar.
Don’t let statute of limitation run out on your case.
Cocoy,
Even if I don’t understand what you’re sayin’, Oo na basta ikaw ang nagsalita. heheh!
Siensya na, talagang wala akong feel sa legal terms.
chi;
Ngayon lang ako nakapag-blog.Nagpunta kasi ako doon sa dorm ng anak ko,napasama iyong cell phone niya sa washing machine at nasira.Mabuti na lang at $50 lang ang ibinayad ko at pinalitan ng insurance ng bago.Hindi ko pa nababasa ang lahat ng mga comment ninyo,Masaya pala kayo at nagyuyugyugan.Hehehehe!
ellen tordesillas, inaasahan namin dito sa usa na kakatigan ng CA si fg mike arroyo kasi “Matagal ng nabili ang mga justices” what “tiyanak wants Tiyanak gets” thru the power of money.
ellen, napanood mo ba ang sagot ni sec apostol ng tinanong siya kong magprosper ang impeachment laban kay chairman abalos? apostol said “it is a number game”. ibig sabihin paramihan ng kasama maski mali ang mga ginawa ni abalos, kasi si abalos ang rason kong bakit nasa malacanang pa rin si ‘Tiyanak’
Yuko: I paid $51.50/per ticket (discounted price) for the same row that they were in..we got our tickets before they got theirs kaya nasingitan ang seats nila..nagparinig yong mama “hindi ata aalis” thinking that me no speak English..sayang nga kasi nagdala sana kami ng pamaypay na may message “free Jonas” ang dami niyang alalay na magpapalakpak sa Friday..pero walang rally ..I wonder what happened to Gabriela..At ang daming naka dark suits na bodyguards niya..
I wonder where her entourage is staying..baka sa Waldorf..ang dami nila..She didn’t attend the celebration at the Consulate but some people I know joined her somewhere..kasi they asked me if I was going..Consul Rebong was at the theatre but she was not at the Consulate at the awarding of Bert Florentino..
Rose,
Who’s Bert Florentino?