Wednesday, February 21, 2007 Radioman convicted of libel blames employer-station By Ben O. Tesiorna
RADIOMAN Alex Adonis said the management of Bombo Radyo, his employer, is partly to blame for his conviction, saying had they allowed him to give a public apology the case would have long ago been dismissed.
Adonis was convicted of and arrested for libel for maligning First District Representative Prospero Nograles during his program in July 2001.
Adonis, 43, claimed there was a directive from the management not to apologize to Nograles after the lawmaker asked them to publicly apologize so he would retract the charges he filed against broadcasters of "Burlesk King" issue.
Sued with Adonis at that time was General Santos station manager Dan Vicente. But Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 17 Judge Renato Fuentes acquitted Vicente.
"Had it been up to me, I would have apologized, but the management directed me not to do so," Adonis told Sun.Star Davao.
According to the court's records, Adonis and Vicente engaged in a simultaneous broadcast in July 2001, during which they discussed on air a report from the Abante Tonight, a Manila-based tabloid, where it said the congressman was caught in bed with the wife of a police major.
Adonis said he was also demoralized when the management did not support him in his case.
"The time when I was in Cagayan, I had to pay my fare during trials and I cannot shoulder the expenses anymore," he said.
Adonis went on absence without official leave when he was assigned at Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro City.
Adonis's claim, however, was denied by Bombo Radyo who said they provided Adonis with all the legal assistance he needed.
"If the person concerned resolved to stand by his word, what are we to apologize for?" Bombo Radyo area manager Janilo Rubiato said.
He added that it was Bombo Radyo, which provided and paid for his legal counsel and gave him financial assistance to attend the trials in Davao as well as when he took the offer to be transferred to the Cagayan de Oro station.
Aside from the case before RTC Branch 17, Adonis was also facing another libel case before RTC Branch 14 along with Bombo Radyo Davao manager Joseph Gipala based on the complaint of Jeanette Lomanta.
Lomanta has also accused Adonis of maligning her for the repeated broadcast and commentaries about the "Burlesk King" issue.
Nograles and Lomanta also filed libel charges against Abante Tonight.
Meanwhile, Nograles said he has long forgiven Adonis for his libelous remarks against him.
But he is just not about to forget the past as Nograles left Adonis's fate to the court that sentenced him in jail for at least four years.
Nograles said the court's decision is now beyond his control.
"I have forgiven him long time ago. But I can't forget what he did to destroy me and my family. Sentence has been made. Only the courts can deal with him now. It's beyond my control at this point in time. Sorry about that, chief. Can't help him," Nograles said in a text message.
Adonis was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Monday afternoon in Bankerohan this city.
The teary-eyed Adonis said he was not in hiding as he begged forgiveness from Nograles during a television interview.
Adonis said he just wants his life back. (With RMH)
