Malaya publisher refuses to enter plea on libel case

MANILA, Philippines - Broadsheet publisher Amado “Jake" Macasaet was arraigned Monday before the Manila regional trial court but did not enter a plea. The arraignment was for the nine-year-old libel case filed against Macasaet and editors of Malaya newspaper by former Rizal governor Casimiro “Ito" Ynares Jr. The libel case stemmed from over a series of articles written by Macasaet in 1999 about a dispute between two groups of cockfighting aficionados, the United Cockers Association of the Philippines and the National Cockers Association. Also accused were Malaya editors Enrique Romualdez and Joy De Los Reyes. Lawyer Freesia Gomez, branch clerk of court of Manila RTC Branch 36, said Macasaet did not enter a plea upon the advice of his counsel. Judge Emma S. Young, Manila RTC Branch 36, ordered the entry of a not guilty plea on behalf of Macasaet. Last September 4, Macasaet posted a P10,000 bail after operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the national police served the warrant of arrest issued by Judge Young. Macasaet had earlier said that he has no idea why the case was being revived after almost ten years. He said that he was under the impression that this case had already been dismissed by the prosecutor along with the other counts of libel charges filed by Ynares. However, in the 11-page resolution dated July 9, 2008, the Department of Justice found probable cause to indict Macasaet, Romualdez and Delos Reyes. - GMANews.TV