Provincial Legal Officer to File Libel Charges Vs Broadcaster

Cebu Provincial legal officer Orvi Ortega warned radio commentator Bobby Nalzaro that he will press charges for Libel if he will not stop ‘shaming’ him in public through his radio program.

“Wap-a koy intention mo-file niya (Nalzaro) og kaso, og di gihapon ko undagan, magkita nalang mi sa korte kung mao na iyang gusto,” said Ortega, in a press conference in Sacred Heart Center on Monday.

“If he’s man enough, maayo moundang na siya panamastamas kanako, kay kung siya pud di mosugot nga na’y tawo nga modaot sa iyang pangan. Kay siya pud may kaugalingon tinagoan,” the Provincial legal officer said.

Ortega said that for the moment, he and his lawyer are collating evidence for the libel case he plans to file against Nalzaro.

Ortega alleged that for a month, Nalzaro used his program in dySS and his column piece in one of the local dailies to malign his name and his family.

“Sa mga birada ni Mr. Nalzaro, iyang gibalik balik nga gi-rig kuno ang bidding. Sa mga kadaghan nako’g gibalik-balik nga naa diha ang taga (bids and awards committee), Jun Sepe, Atty. Mark Tolentino. Wa’y usa kanamo ang nasayud kung unsay gamiton nga tie breaker until the day came. So, kung way usa namo nga nasayud, unsaon man namo pag impluwensya?” he explained.

In his program and column piece, Nalzaro allegedly lambasted Ortega for rigging the bidding for the security services and let the Black Pearl Security Agency won.

But Ortega said that although he is chairman of BAC, there were a number of them who decide what their next action would be once there was a tie.

Before Black Pearl won, there was tie among Black Pearl, GDS Security Agency and Tactical Agency. It was when BAC agreed to use the “terms of preference” when Black Pearl’s name, having more than equipment than other bidders, topped the other two contenders, he said.

Ortega said it was also not his call to commission the Black Pearl’s services while its post-qualification is under way as he was on a team-building activity in Lapu-lapu City on May 30 to 31. He said he was informed by Sepe, the provincial general services officer, that Tactical’s two-year contract was about to end.

“Sepe asked for an advice, ni-expire ang Tactical wa gi-extend kay initial evaluation Black Pear qualified in the post qualification stage, so they offered to provide guard. I told him to inform Tactical in writing and turn over documents. That all that I gave,” he said.

“Everything was above board. Everything was objective and nobody can point a finger to us that the bidding was rigged because it was clear in the process,” he said.

The Black Pearl, however, was disqualified after a post-qualification check and alleged incompetency, prompting Governor Hilario Davide III to declare it a failure of bidding.

Ortega said he does not mind if Nalzaro would stick to the issue itself which is the bidding process, but he had no choice but to react when he allegedly went overboard when he attacked his person and family.

Nalzaro allegedly said that Ortega received P206,000 as kickback from Black Pearl, which he reportedly used to buy a new sports utility vehicle.

To this, Ortega said the vehicle was loaned and the down payment came from the sale of the family’s canter and his old car.

“Laktod pagkastorya sa akong pagtan-aw ang rason nganong giatake ko: nagpaluyo usa sa mga niapil sa bidding, gustong mobalos nako, o mahimong threat sa polutika or possible, usa ka demoltion job or pinaagi kanako buot nilang pasakitan ang gobernador,” he said.

“I could see that this is already a systematic well-funded demolition job,” Ortega said.

For his part, Nalzaro challenged Ortega to name the people he alleged were behind in this “demolition job.”

“Is he insinuating that I’m paid? I challenge him to name names. Unsay intention aning grupo (to order him to attack Ortega). Ang governor nalang atong atakehon,” Nalzaro said.

Nalzaro admitted that he is friends with owners of all security agencies involved in the bidding and he does not care whoever wins among them. “I don’t care kung kinsay makadaug but at least tarong ang bidding. They assured Black Pearl, but wa nila bayari (for its services for the province while the bidding was on-going). They had the best offer,” he said.

As to Ortega’s threat of a libel case, Nalzaro said he can go ahead, “it’s a democratic country.” The broadcaster denied that he included Ortega’s family, but he was sorry if they were hurt.

Nalzaro said despite Ortega’s threat, he will still continue his attack on the Capitol lawyer’s “questionable conduct” which is “staining” the governor’s good reputation.

“I challenge him to resign as BAC chairman and even as the Capitol legal officer, to spare the governor,” Nalzaro said.