Tuesday, April 17, 2007 Mayor sues opponent for libel By Albert B. Lacanlale
SHRUGGING off every conceivable smear campaign thrown against him before, Mexico Mayor Teddy Tumang has had enough black propaganda and decided on Monday to file two counts of libel against former mayor Ernesto Punzalan.
Tumang filed his complaint against Punzalan and one Mario Ramin before Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Otto Macabulos. He was accompanied by witnesses Ferdinand Meneses, Vicente Balajadia, and Eduardo de Leon.
In his complaint, the mayor alleged that during Punzalan's campaign sortie on April 1 in Barangay San Jose Malino, the former mayor publicly accused him of being a criminal and that he should not be reelected as mayor.
Tumang said Punzalan, whom he unseated in the 2004 mayoralty elections, accused him of masterminding the assassinations of several barangay leaders in the town and of retired Colonel Wilfredo Munar of Barangay San Antonio.
"Punzalan issued the statement with the intention of attacking my reputation and honor and for further purpose of exposing me to public hatred, contempt, ridicule and humiliation," Tumang said.
"They did not file a single case against me in court, and instead use media mileage to discredit me. I think this is getting out of hand and this has to stop," he said.
Punzalan's alleged libelous remarks were repeated in another sortie by the former mayor on April 7 in Barangay San Roque also of this town.
Tumang said Punzalan's statements were caught on tape and that they have secured several print materials that bear libelous statements like "HUWAG IBOTO SI TUMANG NAGPAPATAY SIYA NG TAO, DAPAT ANG MAYOR NA NAGSESERBISYO HINDI CRIMINAL AT CORRUPT."
During the San Roque campaign meeting, Punzalan reportedly said in Pampango the following: "The reason why we call the present (mayor) as a thief is because he steals money from the Mexico Municipal Government. Even posters are not spared from his thievery, I have a witness by the name of Mario Ramin, who according to him, was ordered by Mayor Tumang to kill me. Do you want this kind of person, who orders the killing of our own fellowmen?"
Tumang added that he also wants to drive a point that charges should be filed before the proper court and not through the media alone.
