CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Cagayan de Oro prosecutors rejected an appeal for them to reverse their February ruling to indict a city councilor for cyber libel over a series of broadcasts that implied that 1st District Representative Rolando “Klarex” Uy has links to the illicit drug trade.

Uy, a mayoral candidate, took offense and complained about Councilor Zaldy Ocon’s on-air pronouncements that suggested that the congressman was on President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of high-profile personalities in the drug trade.

Ocon has yet to show any evidence about the existence of the list that allegedly had Uy’s name in it. Neither has he identified the source of his supposed information.

A prosecution panel composed of prosecutors Alfonso Vicente Jr., Rhandy Ilisan, and Omar Sharief Naga found Ocon liable for 11 counts of cyber libel on February 21.

The resolution, approved by city prosecutor Charisse Galarrita-Bitoon, recommended a P528,000-bail bond, or P48,000 for each of the 11 counts of cyber libel against the councilor.

Ocon, however, appealed the prosecutors’ decision in March, arguing that he was performing a watchdog role and informing citizens about matters of public interest as a crusading media practitioner.

But the prosecutors upheld their February decision in their March 21 resolution, a copy of which was made public on Monday, April 25.

“There is no new evidence to appreciate. There is no cogent reason to disturb the assailed resolution,” read part of the second ruling.

In his complaint, Uy cited instances over nine days in November 2021 when Ocon repeatedly imputed in his broadcasts that the congressman was a drug lord in Duterte’s drug matrix, an allegation the lawmaker denied and protested.

Uy complained that Ocon used words calculated to induce suspicion without showing any document or evidence against him in his commentaries aired by local broadcasters Magnum Radio and Strong Radio.

For instance, Ocon asked Uy on air, “Unsa ka tinuod nga drug lord ka? …Unsa ka tinuod nga naa ka sa listahan nga drug lord ka? No. 45 ka sa listahan ni President Duterte…”

(Is it true that you are a drug lord? … Is it true that you are on the drug list? You are No. 45 on President Duterte’s list.)

Despite the string of complaints and the prosecutors’ rulings, Ocon has continued with his on-air tirades against Uy.

With the elections just around the corner, Ocon has come up with a political ad now against Uy where he categorically says that people should not vote for the mayoral candidate because of his alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade.

Albino Quinlog Jr., manager of Magnum Radio, said Ocon’s political ad and his block-time program were paid for by a sponsor.

Quinlog declined to identify the sponsor, explaining that it would be a breach of contract on Magnum Radio’s part if he made the disclosure.

Ocon rose to prominence in Cagayan de Oro as a hard-hitting radio commentator of Radio Mindanao Network’s station DxCC more than two decades ago. 

Riding on his media fame, Ocon was subsequently elected as a member of the city council while occasionally doing on-air commentaries as a block-timer – a commentator buying radio air-time.

Three years after a failed bid for Cagayan de Oro’s vice mayoral post in 2010, Ocon ran for city councilor again under the same group that fielded Uy as a congressional bet.

The two politicians were political allies for nine years until late 2021.

Councilor Enrico Salcedo said the two had a falling out when the congressman rejected Ocon’s supposed moves to include his partner as one of the group’s candidates for city council seats.

Uy and Ocon are serving their third and final terms as congressman and councilor, respectively. – Rappler.com