Defensor shrugs off cyberlibel case
“JUST a cheap publicity gimmick”
This was how mayoralty candidate and Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Michael “Mike” Defensor described the supposed cyber libel complaint filed against him by his rival, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.
“The complaint is silly and futile because Mayor Belmonte is an elected official, not a private individual. And she knows this,” Defensor said.
Defensor is leading the QC mayoralty race based on the latest survey.
“Mayor Belmonte is obviously just trying to draw attention to herself. She is just after the extra publicity at my expense,” Defensor said.
“Ako sinampahan nya ng cyber libel complaint. Papano na lang kaya ang mga ordinaryong residente ng Quezon City na bumabatikos sa kanya sa social media?” Defensor quipped.
Defensor urged Belmonte to resign as mayor if she can’t stand public denunciation.
“The mayor is just wasting the resources of the prosecutor’s office which has real and pressing cases to deal with,” Defensor said.
Belmonte’s complaint stemmed from Defensor’s supposed social media posts accusing the mayor of deploying a “Baklas army” to take down his posters.
“We would urge Mayor Belmonte to stop her antics, and to respond instead to the criminal complaints for plunder filed against her in connection with the P713 million worth of overpriced ayuda food packs that she bought,” Defensor said.
