Prosecutor junks Nalzaro's plea for inhibition

THE Cebu City Prosecutor's Office will proceed with the investigation on the libel charge filed by Miguel Osmeña, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña's son, against Pablito "Bobby" Nalzaro.

This came after Cebu City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas denied Nalzaro's plea for the prosecutors office to inhibit from the case.

Miguel filed the complaint against Nalzaro for violation of Republic Act 10175, or the Cyber Crime Prevention Act of 2012,in October 2018.

Miguel accused Nalzaro of maligning his reputation when the broadcaster named him in his column as having engaged in the illegal butane canister refilling business.

Nalzaro filed a motion for inhibition against the Office of the City Prosecutor to avoid possible biases.

The prosecutor, however, recently ordered the continuation of the probe while giving Nalzaro 15 days from receipt of the order to submit his counter-affidavit.

Lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, counsel of Osmeña, said the order shows that Nalzaro was not telling the truth.

"The order clearly states the basis for denying the motion for inhibition: the ground it raised is not one of the grounds stated in the Revised Manual for Prosecutors. So what respondent Nalzaro is saying is not true," he told SunStar Cebu.

Ligutan said Nalzaro should answer the complaint and not resort to delaying tactics. (RVC)