Thursday, January 25, 2007 Cagas's son faces P30M libel charge By Ben O. Tesiorna
A MILLIONAIRE businessman and established banker in Davao del Sur has sued the son of First District Congressman Douglas Ra. Cagas for libel for uttering alleged derogatory remarks against him and his bank.
Eugenio Derequito, president and member of the board of directors of the Rural Bank of Digos, filed the libel complaint against Marc Cagas.
Cagas, son of the veteran lawmaker and former governor who is allegedly aspiring to replace his father in the House of Representatives, accused Derequito and the bank of duping their customers.
For the "malicious" remarks, Derequito is asking the court to make Cagas pay him P30 million in moral damages. The banker filed his complaint last January 19.
Derequito said the young Cagas made the accusation in a speech before residents of Barangay Savoy in Matanao, Davao del Sur last January 12.
Marc reportedly urged the residents not to be fooled by the bank and its officials. The young politician allegedly accused the bank as front of Representative Claude Bautista in their land-grabbing scheme.
"Because if you will let yourself be deceived, you will be like the kaulos of the second district of Malita because almost all of the lands there in Malita were all gotten by the Bautistas because they were deceived of the loan of the Rural Bank of Digos in Malita," Cagas was quoted in Derequito's affidavit as saying.
Cagas allegedly added that natives who fail to pay their loans were harassed by henchmen of Derequito and the Bautistas.
Derequito said Cagas's malicious statements caused "mental disturbances, dishonor and discredit" against his person since they were not true.
"There was no instance in the past or ever since that I deceived somebody nor that we used deceits at the Rural Bank of Digos Inc. in our service to the general public especially to our clients," Derequito stated in his affidavit-complaint.
He said the records would speak in his behalf and of their organization.
Derequito said their bank has been in service for more than 50 years now and has been awarded thrice as the Most Outstanding Rural Bank in Region 11.
In a statement, Derequito said he was surprised at the adversarial attitude of Marc, when he had helped his father, Douglas, in the past when the latter ran for congressman and governor.
It was also learned that Derequito is the father-in-law of Congressman Bautista. (With Emmanuel Causing)
