Cyber libel case vs Filipino bishop in Papua New Guinea dismissed

A Libel case against a Filipino bishop has been dismissed by a court in Papua New Guinea, according to a Tuesday posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.

Bishop Rolando Santos of Alotau-Sideia was charged after the Alotau Police Task Force sued him for cyber libel for reporting an “abuse of authority" case.

After three months of legal proceedings, the charges were dropped in December 2019 for lack of evidence.

“My accusers were not able to produce any evidence against me, and so the magistrate threw out the case,” Santos said.

According to the report, Santos previously accused the police officers of burning houses while under the effects of alcohol, including the house of the diocese's education ministry head Gregory Nimagale.

Santos and Minagale were arrested in September 2019 but were released on bail. However, Nimagale will still face court for "spreading false information."

The bishop also called on the public to pray for the families in Lavora and New Kitava compounds who allegedly lost their homes "because of burning done by the police."

“They are still living in makeshift houses, and we hope and pray that their cry for justice will be heard and just compensation be given them,” Santos said. — Joahna Lei Casilao/BAP, GMA News