by DJ Yap
Inquirer
Journalists who sued the President’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, for damages over alleged press freedom violations scored a legal victory after a Makati court junked Arroyo’s motion seeking the dismissal of the case.
But they also suffered a setback when Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 143 Judge Zenaida Galapate-Laguilles dismissed their motion to quash a previous court order requiting the media practitioners to produce all the stories they wrote about Arroyo.
In an order dated Dec. 19 but released only last week, Laguilles denied Arroyo’s omnibus motion to dismiss the case on the ground of “liberality.”
The Makati RTC judge also partially granted the journalists’ omnibus motion that asked the court to reconsider its Oct. 11, 2007 order suspending the proceedings.
“We consider this a victory. Now, the case can finally move along,” Harry Roque, lawyer of the complainants, told the Inquirer.
Last May, 36 journalists and three media organizations filed a P12.5 million class suit against Arroyo despite the latter’s announcement that he would drop all the libel cases he had earlier filed against members of media.
The class suit, which the journalists called a “social experiment,” accuses Arroyo of abusing his right to file libel suits and curtailing press freedom.
In her order, Laguilles affirmed her earlier decision granting Arroyo’s motion for production, written interrogatories and request fro admission, as part of his affirmative defenses, a legal proceeding which could lead to the dismissal of the case.
“In passing on a motion for discovery of documents, the court should be liberal in determining whether or not the documents are relevant to the subject matter of the action,” the judge said.
It’s a wonderful feeling to see that there are still some decent judges around. With GMA’s inevitable downfall, those who have made mistakes in the past by protecting these crooks in Malacanang can now come out and redeem themselves. There’s still time. Let’s keep a close watch on this JDV who seems to be distancing himself from Malacanang now. We all know that JDV would not act without FVR’s consent. If JDV-FVR finally jumps ship together with their groups that include some military officers, active or retired, then GMA’s ouster is just a matter of days. Add to this is Uncle Sam’s apparent indifferent attitude towards GMA these days. Malapit na….talagang malapit na.
BB: you are right…the day is fast approaching..it is just around the corner..
Today: 1/19/2008—20 days before 2/9/08 the day of reckoning…the day of divine intervention and God in All His mercy and love for us will save the Philippines..
..pero maiba ako isn’t she leaving for Switzerland and UAE on Tuesday, 1/22/08..ngayon confirmed na ang election ni Noli..will he be acting president or will she tell him..”Noli me tangere”? kawawang nilalang…
I hope things will change after Gloria is gone, but what if she’s just he tip of the iceberg and there is more to this than meets the eye? What I don’t understand is the absence of a strong voice from our opposition? Is there no one out there willing to stick his neck out?
Question, lawyers. Is there jurisprudence that allows a court to obtain all evidences, published articles in this case (which could jeopardize the complainants’ position), without the defense offering those as evidence by their own initiative? Isn’t that the defense’s task?
May this branch of government, the Judiciary, rises above & beyond where the two other branches have repeatedly failed us.
Judiciary, I believe, is our last bastion of HOPE if any!
Brownberry: Please kindly validate how you arrive at your “prematured” and “unsubstantiated” conclusion that GMA’s days are numbered…. Wish it’s true though!
Nice to hear from you again, Tongue. Where have you been?
Jug, the political opposition is a disappointment. A lot of Gloria’s strength is derived from the weakness of the opposition.
Sabi ko nga si Trillanes lang talaga ang genuine opposition to this morally bankrupt government.That’s why many of them (opposition) are wary about him.
Goodnight!
J. Cruz, hindi premature and conclusion ko na GMA’s days are numbered. Long over due pa nga.
Ellen, I share your sentiment about the opposition. Is there one today? Nasaan ang tunay na opposition? It now confirms that in politics, everyone just takes care of his own interest. This is where the media must come in. There are true opposition journalists like you who are the last hope of the people.
Bilib na talaga ako kay Atty. Roque. Sana dumami pa ang mga katulad niya. Between him and Sheila Coronel, sa totoo lang, mas gusto ko siya!
Truth is, only Trillanes identified himself as UNO. The others did not. Nagtaka nga ako when we made our pamphlets for distribution to voters. Lahat may kani-kaniyang partido. Si Trillanes lang ang genuine United Opposition. Hanggang ngayon siya pa rin ang talagang tunay na tagapagtanggol ng mga naaapi kahit na ano pang sabihin nilang paninira sa kaniya!
Brownberry: How do you dismantle if eradicating this GMA family enterprise is unlikely?
Look at all the Senate probes…. No closure! Not a single resolution! And they are starting with more probes….
We need a genuine movement! Who? Where? How?
A travesty of the HIGHEST order!
J. Cruz, the Senate today is composed of senators with different colors. Their true colors will show as the 2010 election approaches. The only Senators who I believe to be more consistent in their position as opposition are Pimentel and Lacson.
Brownberry, you can say it’s gonna be over soon when you see a US aircraft carrier parked in Manila Bay.
Tongue-twisted, just like in 1986 when the US helicopters and Marines were surrounding Malacanang.
BB: just like in 1986 when the US helicopters and Marines were surrounding Malacanang.
*****
May US bases pa kasi noon, pero noong EDSA 2 wala na kaya gawa-gawa lang ng mga Dorobo iyong supported sila ng mga kano, not especially when the US was busy with the inauguration of Dubya, the Monster of Iran and Afghanistan, but hopefully not of Iran!!!
Re: Sabi ko nga si Trillanes lang talaga ang genuine opposition to this morally bankrupt government.That’s why many of them (opposition) are wary about him.
Talaga! Si AT4 lang ang tunay. Ang tingin ko nga ay inggit pa ang maraming oposisyunista kuno kay Trillanes.
Isa pa ito sa dahilan kung bakit mainit ang mata nila kay Ellen. Alam nila na ang Ellenville residents ay solid ang suporta kay Trillanes noon, ngayon at sa hinaharap.
Victory to the journalists!
Tuloy-tuloy na sana ang mga ganitong positive developments sa korte.
Chi: Isa pa ito sa dahilan kung bakit mainit ang mata nila kay Ellen. Alam nila na ang Ellenville residents ay solid ang suporta kay Trillanes noon, ngayon at sa hinaharap.
*****
Sinabi mo pa, Chi. Never doubted the integrity of Trillanes since I’ve come to know him to be the patriotic guy that he is. Through thick and thin din ang supporta ko at ng mga empleyado kong pilipino sa kaniya. Pati nga iyong mga part-timer kong hapon, bilib sa kaniya. Nabasa daw nila sa dyaryo dito.
Kahit anong paninira ang gawin nila kay Senator Trillanes, solid kami sa kaniya.
Tuloy ang laban, Senator!
Congratulations, Ellen!
Right on! Poke the piggy till he bursts…
Dont ever lose hope. What about if Esperon will jump the fence. Other CofS had done it.He has all the reasons to do it.Heard its gonna be upon the departure of glory.
Well, Esperon shouldn’t be anything to be counted on.
Valdemar,
My hope springs eternal but NOT on Asspweron!
Cayetano and Escudero-political leaders?
I classify them as could have been leaders..They may be physically alive but their leadership is now dead..they have just proven that they can be silenced by…ano kaya “kuarta o kahon?”
Rose:…they have just proven that they can be silenced by…ano kaya “kuarta o kahon?”
*****
Rose, komikera ka rin pala! Bwahahahahahahahaha! Siyempre, kuwarta! O kahit na kahon basta laman pera!!! Ayaw kasing dumanas ng hirap! Yuck!