FG Arroyo drops libel raps vs Malaya staff, Tatad

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo on Tuesday asked a Manila court to dismiss his libel case against editors and reporters of the Malaya newspaper and former Sen. Francisco Tatad. The Arroyo camp filed a motion to dismiss before the sala of Judge Silvino Pampilo of the Manila regional trial court-Branch 26, radio station dzBB reported. Aside from Tatad, respondents in the libel case are Malaya columnist Ellen Tordesillas, publisher Jake Macasaet and six others. Tordesillas earlier wrote a column wherein Tatad called Arroyo as the administration's chief poll rigging operator during the May 2004 polls. Last April, Arroyo successfully underwent aneurysmectomy and triple heart bypass surgery at the St. Luke's Medical Center. Saying he was grateful that he gained more time to live, the First Gentleman's camp announced 11 days before this year's elections that he was dropping all his libel cases against members of the press. He has slapped 10 libel cases against 46 media practitioners. He recently dropped a P10-million libel charge against the three Tulfo brothers, who are among his staunchest critics. Recently, Arroyo also dropped a similar case against political rival Sen. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada. In his motion on the libel case against the Tulfos, Arroyo said that, "I have of late suffered a life-threatening medical condition. With the prayers and the support of my family and friends, I have miraculously survived. Because of this, I am no longer interested in pursuing the case." - GMANews.TV