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Monday, February 06, 2006
Columnist faces trial for slander
THE Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor has resolved to file three criminal cases against a “media practitioner” who allegedly caused trouble outside the Bureau of Customs (BOC) office last Dec. 13.
City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon, upon the written recommendation of Assistant Prosecutor Alain Gallego, charged Joyce Osmeña with resistance and serious disobedience to a person in authority, grave slander, and alarms and scandal.
Sellon said Osmeña caused disturbance and scandal inside the customs building in Pier 6 by shouting at the people there and insulting them.
Customs Collector Lourdes Mangaoang said Osmeña blocked the entrance of the customs building last Dec. 13, called the people there “thieves” and shouted about how the office was full of anomalies.
‘Scandal’
“All these were heard by all the customs officials and employees and all the brokers, processors and persons who were looking at her as she was shouting and making a scandal,” Mangaoang said in an affidavit prepared by lawyer Oliveros Kintanar.
Sellon, in the three criminal assignment sheets submitted to the Municipal Trial Court in Cities, did not allow bail for Osmeña, a columnist and photographer of the “Now” newsletter.
Mangaoang, a lawyer, said she had members of the Customs Police arrest Osmeña and lead her out of the building. Osmeña had previously been banned from the office because of “misdemeanors.”
Osmeña, she said, has long been extorting money from bureau officials and employees. If refused, Osmeña allegedly makes a scene by yelling out how corrupt people in the Bureau of Customs are.
In the Dec. 13 incident, Mangaoang said Osmeña caused such a ruckus that the Maritime Philippine National Police Office sent a team of policemen to pacify and lead her out of the premises.
She said Osmeña resisted and dropped the name of an alleged uncle. She attached the affidavits of the policemen involved.
Osmeña, in an interview after the filing of the complaint, confirmed the incident but said she was merely exercising her rights. She said she was merely distributing her newspaper when a group of policemen accosted her.
She said she has filed counter-charges before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.
Sellon had previously approved Gallego’s recommendation to dismiss three other charges—direct assault, tumults and other disturbances and violations of the Customs and Tariff Code—Mangaoang filed against Osmeña. (KNR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 6, 2006 issue)
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