A Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued on Monday afternoon a warrant of arrest against Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz in connection with libel charges lodged against the prelate.

Judge Antonio Rosales of the Manila RTC Branch 52 issued the warrant of arrest against Cruz after granting the motion to post bail filed by Cruz’s counsel Estelito Mendoza. The court also set the bail for Cruz’s temporary liberty at P10,000.

Mendoza filed a motion to post bail on April 28. The prosecution did not oppose Cruz’s motion.

On May 9 the judge granted the motion to bail and issued the warrant of arrest against Cruz on Monday afternoon.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier filed on April 22 the libel charges against Cruz before the Manila RTC.

The libel case against Cruz, former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president, was elevated before the Manila RTC after the DOJ had reversed and set aside a resolution issued earlier by the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office dismissing the case against the Church official.

The libel case stemmed from the complaints of marketing assistants of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), who claimed that Cruz allegedly made defamatory statements about the said employees.

The Cruz’s article came out in several major daily newspapers on June 28, 2004, wherein the bishop accused Pagcor of using its women employees to act as “guest-relations officers” (GROs) during the birthday bash for First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

The Pagcor employees were Sharleen Vincent Tecson, Elizabeth Berme, Daylin Cabinian, Cheryll Ann Ilano, Mylynn Manabat, Rizza Panganiban, Michelle Masbate, Ma. Bianca Gonzales, Kristine Joy Morales, Joy Anne Castillo, Agnes de Guzman, Anna Mirabilia Rosales, Lorica Canto, Ritzel Alday, Maylene Mandariaga, Leah Salvador, Cecilia Bermas, Ma. Consuelo Violeta, Mielyn Medalla and  Ma. Daisy Rivera.

The Pagcor employees had reportedly volunteered to be usherettes in a gathering held at Malacañang Park on June 26, 2004.

In the Philippines the term GRO has a negative connotation because of its local resemblance to prostitution.

Cruz, in his statement posted also on a blog web site, alleged that the women were made to wear sexy clothes and were made up in a beauty salon.

Cruz is said to be a known anti-gambling advocate and a vocal critic of the Arroyo administration.

The DOJ resolution which reversed the Prosecutor’s Office’s resolution, dated April 14, said that Cruz had issued defamatory statements, such as terms like “pitiful GROs.”

The DOJ also said Cruz has “falsely and maliciously imputed to them [Pagcor employees] acts that have caused dishonor to and besmirched their reputation as women when he described them in the said article.”

Jelac to prioritize bigger budget for judiciary

THE newly created Judiciary, Executive and Legislative Advisory and Coordinating Council (Jelac) will prioritize securing a bigger budget for the judiciary to strengthen the judicial system in the country, its members agreed on Tuesday.

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija—Defense lawyers prevailed over apparently ill-prepared prosecutors in the second hearing here Monday of the murder charges against four progressive party-list politicians, prompting the lady judge to crack humor unusual in courtroom proceedings. She gave both parties 15 days to determine probable cause to support the charges.

A Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued on Monday afternoon a warrant of arrest against Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz in connection with libel charges lodged against the prelate.

WHILE Southeast Asian exports—as a region—to the European Union (EU) continue to mount, the exception is the Philippines, whose own export to the EU has been in steady decline for the last five years.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A top police official on Tuesday disclosed that the British businessman who was reported missing by his business partner was already located, brushing aside speculations that he might have been abducted or kidnapped.

DEFENSE lawyers scored a major victory on Tuesday after they fended off attempts by military prosecutors to arraign the 28 military officers who are their clients on lesser charges of violating three Articles of War.

FORMER justice secretary Silvestre Bello III will replace Ricardo Saludo as secretary of the Cabinet once the latter is confirmed as Civil Service Commission chairman, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Tuesday.