DOJ recommends cyberlibel charges vs. Baligod, 18 Zaldy Co ex-bodyguards

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the filing of cyberlibel charges against lawyer Levito Baligod and 18 individuals who claimed they delivered cash from former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co to various personalities.

Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon confirmed the development, saying the resolution was released last week.

The DOJ panel of prosecutors also recommended the filing of perjury charges against the 18 individuals.

When sought for comment, Baligod said they will file a motion for reconsideration.

The complaints against Baligod and the 18 individuals were filed before the DOJ by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, former National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima, Fr. Flavie Villanueva, and Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr.

In a statement, the DOJ said the 18 individuals will face 10 separate informations covering six counts of cyberlibel under Section 4(c)(4) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and four counts of perjury.

The DOJ said Baligod will be named as a co-accused in some of the informations involving the 18 individuals. A separate information for one count of cyberlibel will also be filed against him.

“The corresponding Informations will be filed before the appropriate courts. Other complaints covered by the resolutions were dismissed for lack of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction,” the DOJ said.

Trillanes published a portion of the resolution on the complaint he filed.

“Lumabas na po ang DOJ resolution na pinapakasuhan sa korte ng cyberlibel/perjury sina Atty Baligod at ang 18 ex-soldiers,” he said in a Facebook post.

(The DOJ resolution recommending cyberlibel/ pejury charges to be filed against Atty. Baligod and the 18 ex-soldiers has been released.)

“More to come,” he added.

The complaints stemmed from allegations made by the 18 former bodyguards, who were previously presented by Baligod at a February press conference that they had delivered suitcases of cash on Co’s instructions to several government officials and other personalities.

Among those implicated were Trillanes, Año, De Lima, Villanueva, and Catapang, who denied the allegations and subsequently filed complaints against Baligod and the 18 individuals.

The group had alleged that the cash deliveries were connected to kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects. Baligod said he had been communicating with the former servicemen since October and had sought to verify their claims before presenting them publicly.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla later sought individual affidavits from the 18, saying authorities needed to establish what each of them personally knew about the alleged deliveries.

The group had initially submitted a single sworn statement containing their allegations. — MCG/AOL, GMA News