Bayambang Mayor Sues Reporter, Radio Station at RTC

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BAYAMBANG – The mayor here has already filed a damage suit against a female reporter, her radio station, and another complaint of indirect contempt against her at the Regional Trial Court in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.

“Si Janice, iyong radio station kasama na rin ang contempt iyong ni file ko sa RTC San Carlos City,” Mayor Cezar T. Quiabao told recently this writer.

Bayambang, Pangasinan Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao (left) and newshen Janice Hidalgo.

This stemmed from a video program made by Hidalgo painting the mayor to be involved in a series of alleged anomalous projects in this thriving town.

The video she posted at Facebook became viral as people who saw it shared it with others in and out of this municipality.

Mayor Quiambao told reporters in February 2019 in a press conference he called at his residence here that he would be filing a P5 million moral damage suit against Hidalgo in a court in Manila.

 But Quiambao’s lawyer included as respondent DWCM Aksyon Radyo in Dagupan City, he told this writer in a brief conversation after he inaugurated the Housing Project for the LGU Workers here in Barangay Bical Sur.

Hidalgo, who has a one hour Saturday program in Aksyon, still hit the mayor and his administration, according to Quiambao.

“Pag may libelous kada Sabado na program, another case ipa file ko. Kada sabado isang case,” Quiambao said.

When asked if any extortion case will be charged against Hidalgo after he filed a cyber and regular libel against her, the mayor said it is up to his lawyer and the prosecutor to decide if it will be filed, too, after the civil case will be decided by finality by the court.

In a telephone interview with Hidalgo she said she is not intimidated with the threat of court cases the mayor will file as a result of her critical 11-12 Pm Saturday radio program.

“Hawak ko ang katotohanan. Eni expose ko ang alleged anomaly sa Bayambang dahil may basehan ako,” she explained.

Hidalgo stressed that she will be posting again Saturday at Facebook another video documentary she made about people being harassed by Quiambao and the documents that will incriminate him.

In her text message to this writer she said the following:

"Paki add din po na libelous lang ang isang bagay kung malisyoso at personal ang banat. Isyu lang ang tinutukan ko. Dapat nga si Quiambao ang makulong dahil sa paninira na ginagastusan pa talaga niya  tinatayang milyon din ang ads niya sa Bombo para lang sirain at ipakalat na nang hingi ako sa kanya. Kung nanghingi ako bakit hindi extortion ang kinaso niya sapat ngayon para sabihin niya na sinisiraan ko lang siya. Kaso hindi totoo iyon fake news iyong siya sa pamamagitan ni  (Board Member candidate Darwina) Sampang ang nagalok ng two million pesos at kotse sa akin, Nahuha ni Sampang ang CCTV di ba ngayon kami mag lie detector sa harap ng CCTV footage kamo".

On the contempt charge the mayor told this writer, Rule 71 of the Rules of Court says “(b) Disobedience of or resistance to a lawful writ, process, order, or judgment of a court” and “(f) Failure to obey a subpoena duly served”.

READ: 

Mayor to File P5M Damage Suit vs Lady Reporter