Erik Santos, manager file libel complaint vs radio host

MANILA, Philippines – Singer Erik Santos and his manager Erickson Raymundo filed several complaints against radio host and talent manager Jobert Sucaldito on Thursday, March 30.

According to a report on ABS-CBN, Raymundo and Santos filed the complaints before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office and they include 43 counts of cyber libel, 12 counts of grave threats, two counts of libel, and one count of slander. Together, they are seeking P24 million in damages.

The complaints were filed in response to a series of Facebook posts by Sucaldito.

In an affidavit obtained by Pep, Santos said that Sucaldito read out a blind item on his dzMM radio show Mismo on March 9. In it, Sucaldito spoke about a talent agency that was managing gay singers.

Santos’ statement said: “When his co-host, Ahwel Paz, mentioned that he does not know any gay singers from said talent management, Respondent replied, as follows, ‘Meron ‘no! ‘Di ba nga magcoconcert nga?’ (There is! Isn’t he going to have a concert?) 

“Respondent was clearly referring to me since I am about to have a my concert on 07 April 2017, which was being promoted by Ahwel Paz during the same show, immediately before said blind item was narrated.”

Santos also attached screenshots of the Facebook posts that Sucaldito wrote about him. While some posts only mentioned a gay singer, others called Santos out explicitly.

Santos said that Sucaldito mentioned his name in blind items on Facebook on March 17, 18, and 21. The posts have since been deleted from Sucaldito’s Facebook page.

Santos said he was seeking damages because of the humiliation he went through: “The words and phrases that he used are calculated to induce the readers of his Facebook page to suppose and understand that I am gay and that I engage in sexual relationships with people of the same gender.

“The same are indisputably defamatory for they impute upon me a condition which is sufficient to impeach or reputation as bankable artist and to hold me up to public ridicule.

“Attacking my sexuality is a clear insult and harmful to my person and career. He also repeatedly attacked my character, labeling me a traitor and one who mooches on other people,” Santos said. 

Sucaldito responds

Following the complaints filed agaist him, Sucaldito took to his Facebook page to release a statement.

He said that he has heard the news of the cases that Santos and Raymundo filed against him, and that he had already been suspended from work, following Santos’ complaints to ABS-CBN, which owns dzMM. 

“When I posted something dito sa FB [Facebook] page ko regarding my hinaing, in-elevate agad ito ni Mr Erik Santos sa management ng ABS-CBN by writing to them a complaint letter against me hanggang sa ma-suspend ako from radio anchoring sa Mismo program namin ni Papa Ahwel Paz (pinag-vacation leave with pay ako). Hangga’t hindi raw ako nagbibigay ng explanation regarding our issue, hindi ako makakabalik sa show, siyempre.”

(When I posted something here on my FB [Facebook] page regarding my concern, Mr Erik Santos immediately elevated it to ABS-CBN’s management by writing a complaint letter against me, until I was suspended from anchoring the Mismo radio program that I host with Papa Ahwel Paz (I was asked to go on a vacation leave with pay). I won’t be able to return to the show until I give an explanation regarding our issue.)

Sucaldito said that he will face the complaints made against him, but bemoaned the apparent support that other artists had for Santos. According to Sucaldito, Sam Milby, Jaya, and K Brosas accompanied Raymundo and Santos at court.

“Ang ikinalulungkot ko lang ay kung bakit kailangan pang sumama sina Sam Milby, Jaya, and K Brosas sa dalawa when they filed the case. Dito ako mas nasaktan – ano kaya ang nagawa kong kasalanan kay K Brosas na even before siya nagpa-manage kay Erickson Raymundo ay minahal ko siyang parang anak-anakan dahil alaga siya ni kuya Boy Abunda before? Kay Jaya naman, it’s a common knowledge na sobrang minahal ko ang kaniyang namayapang inang si Mama Elizabeth Ramsey even during the last hours of her life – itinuring akong parang sariling anak at sobrang minahal ko. Si Sam Milby naman – it’s very painful for me to see him support them in this filing of cases against me.”

(What I’m sad about is that Sam Milby, Jaya, and K Brosas had to go with the two when they filed the case. This is where I was more hurt – what sin did I commit against K Brosas, who I already loved like a daughter because she was under Boy Abunda before, even before she was managed by Erickson Raymundo? As for Jaya, it’s a common knowledge that I loved her late mother Elizabeth Ramsey even during the last hours of her life – I consider her like my own daughter and I’ve loved her. For Sam Milby – it’s very painful for me to see his support them in this filing of cases against me.)

He continued: “I’d like to understand them na lang – na kaya nila nagawa ito dahil maaaring kinausap sila ng manager nilang samahan sila or kung bukal man sa kalooban nilang ipakita ang suporta nila against me, I don’t know how to understand it now. Dito ako mas nasasaktan. Pero yung sa kaso, haharapin ko ito at ilalaban hanggang sa kahuli-hulihang sandali ng buhay ko.”

(I’d like to understand them – that the reason they did it is because their manager asked them to come or they came on their own to show their support, I don’t know how to understand it now. This is what hurts me more. But the case, I’ll face it and fight it until the last moments of my life.)

Read Sucaldito’s statement below.

 

– Rappler.com