Judge dismisses case filed by another Judge

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Judge dismisses case filed by another Judge

Regional Trial Court, Branch 31 Judge Rogelio Carampatan dismissed the libel case filed by another presiding judge against Bais City pioneer city councilor Diogenes Baena.

The complainant was Presiding Judge Ismael Baldado of RTC Branch 45 who accused Baena as defaming his honor saying that Baldado was suspended by the Supreme Court, that he executed wrongful decisions on the cases he handled, that there was a businessman who did not receive payments after Baldado took animal feeds from and that he is arrogant resulting to decline of investors in Bais City.

In a five-page decision of Judge Carampatan, he dismissed the case stating that the prosecution failed to prove guilty beyond reasonable doubt that Baena really posted malice in his commentary.

Judge Carampatan added that in Baena’s counter affidavit, he was able to stand that his commentary was of privilege communication.

Judge Carampatan cleared there was malice if Baena made the commentary and yet he knew that it was not true.

The dismissal of he libel case stated that Baena only expressed his honest opinion regarding Judge Baldado’s behavior who insulted Baena first.

Judge Carampatan also disclosed that Judge Baldado, as a public official, should not readily be affected commentaries regarding his official job.