Cyber libel trial against lawyer in P200-million estafa case reset

Local

A CEBUANO businessman and his lawyer pursued a cyber libel case against a female lawyer, which took an unexpected turn during its first hearing at the Cebu City Hall of Justice on Tuesday, December 3.

Businessman Kaiser Tan and his lawyer, Francis Amit, filed the case against lawyer Estrella Elamparo, who represents businesswoman Michelle Lim Go-Chu in a high-profile P200-million large-scale estafa case filed by Tan.

During the hearing, Elamparo’s counsel sought a motion to reset the proceedings, citing a Department of Justice (DOJ) resolution that reversed the City Prosecutor’s earlier recommendation to pursue the charges.

Atty. Amando Virgil Ligutan, counsel for Tan and Amit, requested the court to proceed with the hearing, adding that they had not received any information about the DOJ resolution.

"I think the law is clear. Even if there is a DOJ resolution dismissing the case, it is not automatic that the court will dismiss the case. The court has to exercise discretion and reevaluate the case. We just want our day in court," Ligutan said.

Liigutan emphasized the seriousness of the accusations.

"The accusations are grave, and we would like the court to hear them," he said.

He added the arraignment and pre-trial, originally scheduled for the day, were deferred after the court decided to hold the proceedings “in abeyance” pending clarification of the DOJ resolution.

Ligutan explained that their cyber libel complaints stem from allegedly defamatory statements made by Elamparo during a March 2023 virtual press conference with the media.

He said the City Prosecutor previously found probable cause to charge Elamparo over these remarks, which reportedly accused Tan of frequently seeking judicial inhibition and connected this to alleged death threats against judges.

Elamparo’s controversial statements emerged during a virtual press conference regarding Tan’s P200-million estafa complaint against Elamparo’s client businesswoman Go-Chu and her alleged associates.

Tan and Amit claim the remarks damaged their reputations.

Elamparo voluntarily surrendered and posted P10,000 bail in November.

Tan and Amit, however, remain hopeful that the court will hear their side and allow them to present the evidence they have, according to Ligutan.(MyTVCebu)