A Makati City court has issued an arrest warrant for Atty. Levito Baligod in connection with a cyberlibel lawsuit filed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
Baligod confirmed on Monday that the order was handed down by the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 148. However, the lawyer claimed his right to due process was compromised during the preliminary investigation.
He alleged that the complainant submitted an inaccurate address to the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, causing him to miss the subpoena and preventing him from submitting a counter-affidavit to defend himself.
“Nakalusot ang kaso na ito ni DA Secretary Laurel Tiu dahil sadyang mali ang binigay na address ko sa Piskalya, kaya naman hindi ako nakatanggap ng subpoena at hindi naka-sumite ng counter-affidavit,” Baligod stated in a social media update.
He further criticized the legal maneuver, adding, “Ayaw lumaban ng patas.”
The cyberlibel case also names former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co and 18 of Co’s former security details as co-respondents.
The legal dispute erupted after public claims surfaced alleging that Secretary Laurel was one of several government officials who received luggage filled with cash as bribes from Co, prompting the Agriculture chief to seek judicial recourse.