Radio anchor sues newspaper for libel

CMFR/Philippines – A radio broadcaster filed a libel complaint against a national daily newspaper and two former government officials on 26 August 2014. The complaint stemmed from a March 2014 report that named the radio broadcaster as one of three broadcasters who were said to have received bribes from a state-owned corporation allegedly used by senators and congressmen to divert government funds.

Carmelo Del Prado Magdurulang filed a libel complaint against six executives and employees of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, namely publisher Raul Pangalangan, editor-in-chief Letty Jimenez Magsanoc, managing editor Jose Maria Nolasco, associate editor for online Abelardo Ulanday, news editor Artemio Engracia Jr. and reporter Nancy Carvajal.

Magdurulang, better known as Melo del Prado, is a commentator and anchor for Super Radyo dzBB 594 AM, an affiliate of GMA TV.

On 19 March 2014, Magdurulang was named as one of three radio broadcasters in a Carvajal report on the alleged diversion of “pork barrel” funds to and from the state-owned National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor). Magdurulang allegedly received checks for P245,535 (some USD5,500) in March 2009 from Nabcor as payoffs “in the guise of ‘advertising expenses.’”

Former Nabcor official Rhodora Mendoza claimed in Carvajal’s report that then Department of Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap had instructed Nabcor president Alan Javellana to pay off prominent broadcast journalists “to stop criticisms of a Nabcor project,” which was supposedly used to divert pork barrel funds to fake non-government organizations (NGOs).

In a report in GMA News TV on Magdurulang’s filing of the libel complaint, Magdurulang’s lawyer was quoted as saying that Carvajal’s report had a malicious intent in naming Magdurulang because Magdurulang’s name was not even included in Mendoza’s official affidavit.

Mendoza and another former Nabcor official, Victor Roman Cacal, were also included as defendants in Magdurulang’s libel complaint.

In May 2014, GMA News’ internal investigation cleared Magdurulang of the allegation, saying the Nabcor payments Magdurulang received were fully documented and legitimate.

The Inquirer is facing a separate libel complaint over Carvajal’s report from broadcaster Erwin Tulfo.

Tulfo, who was also alleged to have received payoffs from Nabcor, filed a libel complaint against the Inquirer on 24 March 2014.

Following the filing of del Prado’s libel complaint, the Inquirer released the following statement:

“We learned that DZBB radio anchor Mr. Carmelo del Prado Magdurulang (popularly known as Melo del Prado) filed a libel complaint against the Philippine Daily Inquirer and some of its editorial staff. We have not formally received a copy of the complaint as of this time and as such, we are unable to comment on this matter.”