Ibinasura ng Davao City Prosecutor’s Office ang kasong libel na isinampa ni Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Appolo Quiboloy laban kay dating senador at boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
Base sa anim na pahinang desisyon, ibinasura ang kaso dahil sa kakulangan ng sapat na ebidensya.
Ikinatuwa ng kampo ni Pacquiao ang desisyon.
Ayon kina Attorney Ian Vincent Ludovice at Attorney Nikki de Vega, mga abogado ni Pacquiao, nakatutuwa ang naturang desisyon.
“When we received the notice about Pastor Quiboloy’s complaint, I told Manny Pacquiao that this might be just related to the election and will just go away after it, especially since we have great lawyers in Davao City. True enough, the complaint was dismissed just a few months after the election and we thank the fair and speedy resolution of the Office of the Prosecutor of Davao City,” pahayag ni Ludovice.
“The Davao City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the cyber libel charges filed by Apollo Quiboloy against Manny Pacquiao. The said office, citing a Supreme Court case, stated that the remarks directed against a public figure like Quiboloy are privileged. Since the complainant was not able to prove actual malice, the complaint was dismissed,” pahayag ni de Vega.
Nag-ugat ang kaso noong panahon ng kampanya nang tanggihan ni Pacquiao ang imbitasyon ng TV network na SMNI na pag-aari ni Quiboloy.
Ayon kay Pacquiao, hindi niya maatim na dumalo sa isang forum na inorganisaa ni Quiboloy na ayon sa US government ay nang-molestiya at nang-abuso ng mga bata.
Ayon kay Quiboloy, hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na ipinahiya siya ni Pacquiao.