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Medialdea files 3rd libel complaint vs. Ramon Tulfo
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Tuesday filed his third libel complaint against columnist and special envoy for public diplomacy to China Ramon Tulfo.
The Malacanang official wants Tulfo prosecuted for another four counts of libel for articles by the columnist that were published by the Manila Times on July 25 and on August 1. He sought at least P140 million in moral and exemplary damages.
The first column alleged that Medialdea's office was withholding the release of P272.07-million cash reward the government owed a man who tipped off authorities in a 1997 seizure of smuggled goods in Mariveles, Bataan.
"Tulfo, in an apparent attempt to discredit my honor, integrity and reputation, maliciously implied that I am remiss in the performance of my duties and worse, even categorically alleged that I demanded the amount of P72 million, implying that I am a corrupt public official," Medialdea said in the complaint.
The executive secretary had denied Tulfo's allegations in the July 25 column in a statement that he requested the Times to publish in full on July 26.
In the August 1 column, on the other hand, Tulfo "implied that I am onion-skinned and even categorically declared that I am incompetent as an Executive Secretary," he said.
"Clearly, respondent Tulfo's unfounded, baseless and malicious allegations gravely injured my reputation, diminished the esteem, confidence and respect of the public for me and my office, and incited derogatory opinions about me and the office I hold," the official alleged.
Also named respondents in the complaint were five officers and editors of the Manila Times.
