Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo filed the first of a series of libel complaints against a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and two block-time announcers of a local radio station in Dumaguete City before the City Prosecutor’s Office Thursday.

Degamo filed three separate charges of libel against Board Member Mellimoore Saycon, Meljun Banogon and Jimmy Cataylo, with a battery of lawyers and supporters.

The libel complaints stemmed from what Degamo describes as “personal” and “below the belt” attacks against him by the three respondents in their block-time programs at a local FM station.

He said eight more cases will be filed next week, and more complaints will be lodged against the three, plus two other radio announcers and the manager of the FM station.

Degamo said he could no longer stand the “attacks” against him over the air waves, that had been going on for about three months or more.

He said the respondents named him “kawatan (Cebuano term for thief),” in relation to the P10 million intelligence fund, called him a traitor, and told the public that he was not a licensed mechanical engineer as he claims to be.

Degamo said he understands that a person holding public office cannot be onion-skinned and must be able to handle and accept public criticism as part of the job. But he said he believes the radio announcers had gone beyond their limits as broadcast journalists by attacking him personally.

He said the declaration of the province as conflict manageable and development ready by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police last May is “living proof” that the intelligence fund was put to good use.

He said anyone can verify with the agency that issues professional licenses about his being a mechanical engineer while being called a “traitor” puzzles him as he has not betrayed his people.

His legal counsels include Richard Enojo and Froilan Pinili, both connected with Capitol, and private practitioner, Myles Bejar.

Saycon said he and his colleagues are not afraid of Degamo’s complaints, that were expected because of the complaint they filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman case is for the P100 million project in Tanjay City that was earlier filed before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas, and the P10 million intelligence fund, filed with the Ombudsman in Manila.

Degamo said that if the respondents were just doing their jobs as media practitioners, they would have gotten his side on the issues against him.

He said he believes the respondents are doing a demolition job against him as he was never given a chance to answer or rebut their accusations on air.

Saycon, however, said their accusations are supported by documents.*JFP/JG

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