In a decisive legal stance, Elmer G. Cato, the Consul General of the Philippines in Milan, is taking on the Daily Tribune with a P10-million defamation lawsuit.
Allegedly, the newspaper falsely accused him of protecting the owners of an immigration consultancy firm in Milan involved in defrauding numerous Filipinos seeking employment in Italy.
Cato filed 17 counts of cyber libel, citing violation of Republic Act 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Law of 2012, before Angeles City Chief Prosecutor Oliver Garcia.
The suit includes the Tribune’s president, editors, reporters, and other individuals as respondents. The accusations arose from the Tribune’s reports accusing Cato of neglecting duty and corruption.
The newspaper based its claims on statements from individuals who asserted fraud by the Filipino-owned Alpha Assistenza SRL.
Cato denied the allegations, asserting they were fabricated and grounded in hearsay. He argued that complainants Antonio, Catilo, and Cabasis, also respondents in the case, couldn’t have filed complaints as they were in the Philippines.
Cato further accused the Tribune of engaging in disinformation, claiming deliberate omission of facts that contradicted the alleged inaction. His counsel, Jocelyn Martinez-Clemente, argued that the articles formed a fabricated narrative to portray Cato negatively due to business rivalry among Filipino-owned agencies in Milan.
Martinez-Clemente highlighted 92 fraud complaints against Alpha Assistenza in Milan as evidence of the Consulate’s vigilance.