Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III announced plans to file libel and cyberlibel complaints against 18 individuals who accused him of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.
Sotto confirmed he is finalizing the list of respondents for the complaints, which he expects to file by Monday. He noted that individuals who allegedly facilitated or coached the witnesses could also face legal liabilities.
“I will decide who to charge by Monday. It might include the persons who brought and coached some of the 18 ex-bodyguards,” Sotto said.
The controversy arose from a hearing conducted by a bloc aligned with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, where 18 witnesses claiming to be former Marines implicated Sotto in the corruption scheme. Sotto has strongly denied the allegations.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, an ally of Sotto, warned that participants and organizers of the inquiry could face charges for cyberlibel and violating Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes the usurpation of authority.
Lacson argued that the proceedings lacked legitimacy.
“Yes, they can be charged, possibly for cyber libel and other crimes since it was a bogus hearing and no parliamentary immunity may be invoked, not even the senators who participated,” Lacson said.
The Senate inquiry also drew criticism from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, who questioned the necessity of the hearing since his office is already investigating the flood control anomalies.
“Ang tanong ko nga eh just thinking out loud, bakit nag-Blue Ribbon Committee hearing ulit dito sa flood control ano ba yan? Kasi ginagawa na namin yan eh trabaho na namin,” Remulla said.
Remulla stated that the Office of the Ombudsman declined an invitation to attend the hearing, seeing no practical purpose in participating.
“Actually nakatanggap kami ng imbitasyon. Sabi ko anong gagawin namin doon? Anong gagawin namin doon eh kami na nga yung nailagay doon sa Saligang Batas na dapat umayos ng mga ganitong problema ano pa yung gusto pa nilang kunin sa amin?” he added.
Remulla also confirmed that his office received a partial report from an earlier Senate probe led by Lacson. However, the report remained unsigned by Cayetano and another senator, preventing its formal submission in the plenary.