Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6) — Lawyer Barry Gutierrez, the spokesperson of Vice President Robredo, filed a cyber-libel complaint against the staff of a news website and tabloid for publishing a story that he and Robredo have supposed ties to Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria ‘Joma’ Sison.
In the complaint affidavit filed on Friday, he debunked the stories published by Journal News Online, People’s Journal, and People’s Journal Tonight.
“It is deceitful to paint that VP Robredo and I are working together with Sison. Respondents’ statements are clearly and obviously designed to maliciously ascribe to me malicious acts, behavior, or objective when the same are not true and are absolute falsehood,” he said.
In a tweet, he explained why he decided to file the complaint: “Para sa katotohanan [For the truth].”
Robredo, who is running for president, previously belied the report that was published last month, saying she has never met nor spoken to Sison before.
Sison has also denied advising Robredo and consulting with Gutierrez.
