Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 17) — Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on Tuesday filed cyberlibel complaints against those who accused him of involvement in alleged irregularities within the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Bautista filed the complaints before the Department of Justice against transport group Manibela chairperson Mar Valbuena and Coalition for Filipino Commuters lead convenor and journalist Ira Panganiban for allegedly violating Articles 353 and 355 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 4(c)(4) of the Republic Act 10175 or Cyber Crime Prevention Act, pertaining to cyberlibel.
\”I cannot allow myself to be the subject of another’s desperate attempt to attain fame, especially when malicious, baseless, and untruthful statements are hurled against me, if only to put a blemish on my untarnished track record and reputation of excellence and integrity,\” Bautista wrote in his complaint.
\”I never received any bribe of some sort, much less used any amount of money to maintain my position as secretary of the DOTr (Department of Transportation),\” he added.
The Transportation chief used as basis the accusations made by Valbuena on a Facebook livestream available on Manibela’s page, while he submitted screenshots of Panganiban’s Facebook posts.
Speaking to reporters, Bautista said he lodged the complaints as he would not heed Valbuena’s calls for his resignation, calling the transport group leader \”irresponsible.\”
When asked if there would be a chilling effect to his move, Bautista said: \”Hintayin na lang natin ‘yong magiging result nung proseso [Let’s wait for the result of the process.].\”
Valbuena told CNN Philippines that the complaint is \”purely harassment and abuse of power.\”
\”Hindi po ako mapatatahimik ng kahit anong kaso para ilabas ang katotohanan,\” he added.
[Translation: I will not be silenced by any complaint to bring out the truth.]
Panganiban said the complaint came as a surprise.
\”I have no idea what this is all about,\” he said. \”I have simply been reporting the news just like everyone else.\”
The LTFRB has been in the spotlight recently after Jeffrey Tumbado, former executive assistant of suspended LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III, accused regulators of practicing a “ruta for sale” scheme.
Tumbado said Guadiz is at the center of the bribery, but higher officials from the DOTr and Malacañang are supposedly involved as well.
After blowing the whistle in a news conference organized by Manibela on Oct. 9, Tumbado recanted his claims two days later.
