(Eagle News) — The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has started the preliminary investigation on the libel complaint filed by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) against expelled ministers Isaias Samson Jr., and Eliodoro “Joy” Yuson
Members of the INC’s Sanggunian or advisory council attended the preliminary probe on Wednesday, Sept. 16 so that their complaint affidavits against Samson and Yuson would be subscribed and sworn to before the prosecutor’s office.
This was in connection to the defamatory accusations made by Samson and Yuson over the media and social media against the INC and the members of the Sanggunian, the council of ministers of INC Executive Minister Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo.
Among the Sanggunian members who came to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office were ministers Bro. Bienvenido Santiago, Bro. Radel Cortez, Bro. Eraño Codera, and Bro. Ernesto Suratos Jr.
According to Atty. Serafin Cuevas Jr., lawyer for the INC Sanggunian, the presence of the ministers who filed the complaint was required for the preliminary investigation of the libel complaint.
“This is the same case that we filed. But what is merely required by the investigating prosecutors are for the complaints to be duly sworn in accordance to the rules and procedures,” Cuevas said.
After the Sanggunian members subscribed to their complaint-affidavits, the expelled INC minister Samson showed up together with his lawyer, Atty. Trixie Angeles. He also came with a bevy of bodyguards surrounding him allegedly because of threats to his life.
Samson did not submit any counter-affidavit, but just came to get a copy of the sworn complaint-affidavit of the INC’s Sanggunian.
What he and his group did, however, after getting a copy of the complaint-affidavit was to give out prepared press releases to members of the media in the area.
Curiously, instead of using the main entrance of the Quezon City Hall of Justice, Samson and his group used a side entrance, much hidden from public view.
The INC had asked the prosecutor’s office to submit the criminal complaints for resolution, as the respondents Samson and Yuson had for a number of times failed to attend the dates of preliminary investigation.
The expelled INC ministers instead deemed it fit to just give media interviews to denounce the INC and the Sanggunian members. This was even though a case had already been filed in court.
“We will just be waiting for the investigating prosecutors as to what would be their decision… whether to file or not to file,” Cuevas said.
For a libel complaint to prosper, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant made false and defamatory statements against him. If the respondents or defendants would be able to prove the truthfulness of their claims, the libel case would not prosper; but if it would be proven that they were lying and were only trying to malign a person or an institution, the case would prosper in court.
The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office set the next hearing on Sept. 23.
