by Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Court of Appeals has denied First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo’s motion for reconsideration of an earlier ruling that mandated the Makati regional trial court to continue hearing the P12.5-million class suit journalists filed against him.
The class suit was filed by journalists who wrote reports critical of the First Gentleman and who were made respondents in libel suits filed by Mr. Arroyo. The libel cases, they alleged, were meant to intimidate and silence media criticism against him.
“To be sure, the present motion for reconsideration does not present any new issue, which has not been addressed in the Court’s decision,” read the six-page decision penned by Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta of the former Seventh Division.