Counter+Affidavit+Arenas+&+Nierra+(2nd+Case)+FINAL+(1)

8/13/2019 Counter+Affidavit+Arenas+&+Nierra+(2nd+Case)+FINAL+(1)

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Republic of the Philippines

Department of Justice

OFFICE OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR

Manila

GIL Y. GARCIA & RAYMUNDO

M. MELEGRITO,

Complainants,

-versus- I.S. No. XV-07-INV-!"-0#$%%

"or& 'ibel

()P *eresa +elin,a . *an-Sollano

RAFAEL BAUTISTA,

APOLINARIO BODADILLA,

PABLITO BAYBADO,

JACINTA CRUZ,

FORTUNATO SEVILLA, &

SAMANTHA LEI BERNAL,

Respondents.

----------------------------------

COUNTER-AFFIDAVIT

/1 ELIZABETH H. ARENASan, CELSO M. NIERRA1 both of le2al a2es1

marrie,1 "ilipino citi3ens an, 4ith postal a,,resses at )olle2e of ,ucation1 5ni6ersit

of Santo *omas1 spana1 Manila an, 5ni6ersit of Santo *omas1 spana1 Manila1

respecti6el1 ,o hereb ,epose un,er the la4 an, state1 that&

(. /e are one of the respon,ents in the abo6e-captione, case8

+. /e 6ehementl ,en the material a6erments state, in the )omplaint-(ffi,a6it

,ate, 9 June !0! as the same are un4arrante, conclusions of facts an, pure

machinations inten,e, to harass us8


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). *he truth of the matter is hereun,er set forth1 to 4it&

. /e are facult members of the 5ni6ersit of Santo *omas an, also

officers of the 5ni6ersit of Santo *omas "acult 5nion :5S*"5 for

bre6it; electe, as Director an, Ser2eant-at-(rms1 respecti6el8

!. In !00%1 ,ue to the un,isclose, Php%.< million ,isbursement of 5S*"5

"un,s in 4hich Mr. amilla an, complainant arcia 4ere in6ol6e,1 4e1

to2ether 4ith se6en :7; other 5S*"5 officers an, ,irectors1 ,eci,e, to

,isassociate from the lea,ership of Mr. amilla an, complainant arcia.

"rom then on1 amilla "action an, complainant arcia1 ,espite their

earnest effort1 4ere not able to summon support from us8

#. =n ! Januar !001 +oar, Resolution !00-00 4as issue, b the

5S*"5 +oar, of =fficers an, Directors upon the call for assistance of Mr.

il amilla1 the then sittin2 5S*"5 Presi,ent1 to settle 4ith finalit all

,isputes brou2ht about b the alle2e, misappropriation of 5S*"5 "un,s

un,er his ste4ar,ship. Please see machince copy of Board Resolution

2010-001 attached asAnnex 1hereof;

>. (nother +oar, Resolution !00-00! 4as issue, initiatin2 the mo6e to

create a )ommittee of Peers :)oP for bre6it; tas?e, to 2ather facts1 hol,

hearin2s1 recei6e e6i,ence1 call 4itnesses an, recommen, or a,opt

measures about the alle2e, ecesses committe, b 5S*"5 members.

Please see machine copy of Board Resolution 2010-002 attached as

Annex 2;


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Prof. Jacinta +. )ru3 :Member; an, Prof. "ortunato +. Se6illa1 III1 Ph.D.

:Member;8

9. 5S*"5 +oar, Resolution !00-007 inclu,es the Rules of Proce,ure

o6ernin2 5S*"5 Peer In6esti2ation 4here pertinent pro6isions of 4hich

are state, belo4&

Sec. 6. Testimony Under Oath

"ll #itnesses #ho testify as to matters of fact shall $ive such

testimony under oath or affirmation.

%itnesses may &e called &y the Committee on its o#n initiative

or upon the re'uest of the petitioner or person $ivin$ the

information or any person #ho feels that he may &e affected

&y the said in'uiry.

Sec. 11. Powers of the Committee

he Committee shall have the po#ers of an investi$atin$

committee, includin$ the po#er to summon #itnesses and ta)e

their testimony and to issue su&poena and su&poena duces

tecum, si$ned &y its Chairman, or in his a&sence &y the "ctin$

Chairman.*

%. *hus1 4e recei6e, a letter from the )oP reAuestin2 that 4e appear before

them in their meetin2Bin6esti2ation to ai, them in their search for truth on

the alle2e, ,isbursement of 5S*"5 fun,s. =ur atten,ance to the sai,

meetin2 4as treate, as official business or in the performance of an official

,ut8


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0./e atten,e, the sai, meetin2 an, 4e ans4ere, the Auestions of the )oP

truthfull1 factuall an, in all honest on the belief that 4e are ,oin2

official1 moral1 le2al an, social ,ut to the 2eneral membership of 5S*"58

. Co4e6er1 4e 4ere appalle, upon learnin2 that 4e 4ere maliciousl

implicate, in this case base, on our testimonies 2i6en on the !th )oP

hearin2 as alle2e, in par. #0.. bear no recei6e, stamp. Mr. Nierra sai, that there

must be somethin2 4ron29$< 4ith the /ise )I*)= ,ocuments appearin2 after the

in6estment an, submitte,

9$$ to the eternal au,itor onl upon inAuir. Ms.(renas sai, that she al4as see

9$7 the 5S*"5 staffs embe, the recei6e, stamp on all

incomin2 ,ocuments an, so9$9 she fin,s it fish that some ,ocuments ha6e no

recei6e, stamp. Mr. Nierra

9$% a,,e, that these ,ocuments mi2ht not ha6e passe,throu2h Ms. +ernal an,970 thin?s that Mr. il arcia initiall ha6e these

,ocumentsE.

!. *hat I :respon,ent (renas; ,i, not maliciousl impute an ,ishonor or

,iscre,it to the persons of complainants herein8

#. M comment that1 5S*"5 staff al4as embe, recei6e, stamp on all

incomin2 ,ocument an, so I fin, it fish that the ,ocuments ha6e not

passe, throu2h Ms. +ernal1 4as an honest ,iscernment on m part. /hen I

sai, fishE I honestl mean irre2ular or stran2eE8

>. I honestl belie6e there is irre2ularit in the transaction since the alle2e,

certificates ha, no proofs of receipt b the 5S*"5 =ffice. )ertificates of


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Placement for the alle2e, 5S*"5 in6estments 4ere ,ocuments of

si2nificant 6alue consi,erin2 that the same in6ol6e millions of 5S*"5

mone1 hence1 it must be formall recei6e, b 5S*"5 office8


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ma,e in Jul !007 since it 4as submitte, b complainant arcia onl after

sometime.

!0. )learl1 there 4as no malice on m statements as it 4as the truth8

!. *he !th )oP hearin2 4as con,ucte, close,-,oors an, beon, public

?no4le,2e 4ith onl the fi6e :. (lbeit1 4hate6er factual1 truthful an, honest oral ans4ers or remar?s I ma

ha6e 2i6en before the )oP an, percei6e, b complainants to be a2ainst

them shoul, not be ta?en a2ainst me for such ans4er is pri6ile2e,

communication8


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!


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ma?e the communication1 or at least1 ha, an interest to protect1 4hich

interest ma either be his o4n or of the one to 4hom it is ma,e8 :!; the

communication is a,,resse, to an officer or a boar,1 or superior1 ha6in2

some interest or ,ut in the matter1 an, 4ho has the po4er to furnish the

protection sou2ht8 an, :#; the statements in the communication are ma,e in

2oo, faith an, 4ithout malice. : JJ=M(R ). +IN(F1 for an, in behalf of

his minor ,au2hter1 J=(NN(G M(RI +I(N)( S. +IN(F6s.*C

S)R*(RF =" J5S*I)1 NIVI V. "()*(= an, VI)N* .

*IR='1 .R. No. 70$>#1 September 91 !00$;8

!%. *hus1 the criminal complaint for 'I+' file, a2ainst me shoul, be

,ismisse, outri2ht. *he ,ocument concerne,1 bein2 pri6ile2e,

communication1 is1 therefore1 not actionable. +etter et1 it ,eser6es to be

thro4n out of the 4in,o4 for bein2 ri,iculous an, farcical8

INSTANT COMPLAINT BARRED BY

PRESCRIPTION

#0. *he )oP "inal Report 4as recei6e, b 5S*"5 =fficers on March !0

,urin2 the 5S*"5 +oar, Meetin2. )omplainant arcia a,mitte, recei6in2

cop of )oP Report before !# March !0. =n !# March !01 he sent a

letter a,,resse, to Ms. 6an2eline *imban21 5S*"5 Secretar eneral

reAuestin2 for cop of (nnees8

#. "rom !# March !01 the perio, of prescription commences to run because

there is alrea, ,isco6er on their part tantamount to publication. =n or

before !# March !0 or 4ithin one :; ear from ,isco6er or publication


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thereof1 complainants shoul, ha6e file, this case before the =ffice of the

)it Prosecutor an, not on 9 June !0!8

#!. *he Supreme )ourt in ROBERTO BRILLANTE 6s.COURT OF

APPEALS $%/ THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES41 succintl

,iscusse, that&

/ith respect to the issue of prescription1 the fourth para2raph of

(rticle %0 of the Re6ise, Penal )o,e pro6i,es that the Hcrime of libel

or other similar offenses shall (re'ri1e i% !%e 0e$r.H In ,eterminin2

4hen the one-ear prescripti6e perio, shoul, be rec?one,1 reference

must be ma,e to (rticle % of the same co,e 4hich sets forth the rule

on the computation of prescripti6e perio,s of offenses&

Computation of prescription of offenses.9*he perio, ofprescription shall commence to run from the ,a on 4hich )he

'ri+e i /i'!#ere/ 10 )he !e%/e/ ($r)01 the authorities1 or

their a2ents1 an, shall be interrupte, b the filin2 of the complaintor information1 an, shall commence to run a2ain 4hen such

procee,in2s terminate 4ithout the accuse, bein2 con6icte, or

acAuitte,1 or are un@ustifiabl stoppe, for an reason not imputable

to himE. :5n,erscorin2 ours;.

##. *he s4orn statements of 'ilia De Jesus an, +ene,icto Ducat 4ere

insi2nificant since prescription commences to run the ,a on 4hich the

alle2e, crimes of libel 4ere ,isco6ere, b the complainants an, not b

them8

#G.R. N!. 225676 & 232762, O')!1er 28, 399:


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#>. (ssumin2 that the crime of 'ibel eists1 there bein2 prescription of

complainants cause of action1 the criminal liabilit is alrea,

etin2uishe, pursuant to (rt. 9% of the Re6ise, Penal )o,e on *otal

tinction of )riminal 'iabilit8

#4rilon vs. Court of "ppeals, 2 6CR" 20 (155 cited in the Counter-affidavit of 6herilyn

Bernardo


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eistence of probable cause to form a sufficient belief as to the

2uilt of the accuse, cannot be ascertaine,1 the prosecution

must ,esist from inflictin2 on an person the trauma of 2oin2throu2h a trial.E

#9. (s enunciate, in the case of Sal6acion 6s. San,i2anbaan1 the in,elible

stain upon :respon,ents; name1 4hich is ne6er Auite 4ashe, a4a b

time1 shoul, caution all concerne, to a more careful an, conscientious

scrutin of all the facts before the fin2er is pointe, an, the stone is cast.E6

#%. i6en the abo6e ar2uments1 it is apparent the instant complaint1 as 4ell as

the e6i,ences attache, thereto1 is not sufficient to en2en,er a 4ell-foun,e,

belief that an offense has been committe,. *here is no probable cause to

hol, me liable for 'I+' as ,efine, in the Re6ise, Penal )o,e. *hus1 the

present complaint SC=5'D + DISMISSD "=R 5**R '() ="

MRI*.

(ffiants saeth nau2ht.

ELIZABETH H. ARENAS CELSO M. NIERRA

"ffiant "ffiant

S5+S)RI+D (ND S/=RN to before me this KKKK ,a of (u2ust !0!.

I CR+F )R*I"F *C(* I C(V PRS=N(''F X(MIND *C

RSP=NDN* (ND I (M S(*IS"ID *C(* CBSC 5NDRS*==D (NDV='5N*(RI'F X)5*D CISBCR )=5N*R-(""ID(VI*.

76alvacion vs. 6andi$an&ayan 12 6CR" 303, i&id.


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ASST. CITY PROS. TERESA TAN-SOLLANO

nvesti$atin$ Prosecutor

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Counter+Affidavit+Arenas+&+Nierra+(2nd+Case)+FINAL+(1)