De Lima, NBI chief, 3 others face damage suit

PRESS RELEASE
Dated March 15, 2013

De Lima, NBI chief, 3 others face damage suit

The parents of a 16-year-old boy used as a state witness to a murder case filed against the incumbent governor of Pangasinan and a congressman of the same province have filed a civil suit yesterday before the Regional Court in Manila.

Because they can barely afford the costly filing fees in court, the parents sought only a damage of P500.000 as long as they can continue their fight against high-handedness and abuses of powers by the powers-that-be.

Named as defendants are Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Nonnatos Caesar Rojas, DSWD-NCR Regional Director Ma. Alicia Bonoan, Akap Ng Mga Bata Philippines, Inc. executive director Ruel Garcia, and former Quezon City Barangay Chairman Manuel “Manuel” C. Tolentino.

The complaint takes its causes of action from the abuses by the defendants of the right and duty to investigate and they abused that right and duty by filing the cases so imagined despite the want of evidence of probable cause.

Thereafter, the defendants caused the publication, in different news entities, the charges with the intention of causing injuries to newsman Jaime G. Aquino, placing him and his son who is used as the witness in the clear and present danger to life, liberty and security.

Worst, the affidavits produced out of the minor are on the face false and the allegations are too improbable to happen.

Aquino, a resident of Brgy. Aserda, Mapandan, Pangasinan, a publisher of Northern STAR weekly newspaper, and Hataw correspondent, personally filed the complaint in the presence of his lawyer Berteni C. Causing.

Aquino said the continued custody of his son by the DSWD, NBI and the group of Garcia is a clear violation of their rights as parents and also claimed there is no sufficient ground for the public defendants to deprive the parents of the parental authority.

The defendants merely declared hook, line and sinker that the said affidavits as if these are the truth when the defendants did not make verifications to check the veracity of the claims.

Despite the deliberate act of not checking the allegations against available records and against the normal habits of life, the defendants filed the same complaint against Jaime, Gov. Amado Espino, Jr. of Pangasinan, and Cong. Jesus “Boying” Celeste of the province’s first district.

“All the allegations that are alluded to have been stated by my son, Jestin, are improbable.  Is there any father in the world who would bring his minor son to any meeting when the topic to be talked about is about a plot to murder?” Jaime asked.