Malacañang Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro described the libel complaint filed against her by Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste as an effort to curb her ability to speak publicly about issues she raised in her official capacity.
In a statement released Friday, Jan. 16, Castro said the legal action was intended to stop her from continuing to address matters connected to comments she previously made regarding a solar energy company that Leviste had founded and later divested from. “Ang pagsasampa ng kasong ito ang tunay na paraan para ako ay matigil sa aking pagsasalita at pagtalakay sa mga issue (The filing of this case is the real way to silence me and stop me from speaking out and discussing the issues),” she said.
Castro further cast doubt on the origins of the complaint, raising questions about who stood behind its filing and who would ultimately benefit from it. “Ito ngayon ang tanong: Sino ang tunay na nasa likod ng pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa ’kin? Sino ang nais na mabusalan ang aking bibig? Sino ang lubos na makikinabang dito (This now raises the question: Who is truly behind the filing of the case against me? Who wants to silence me? Who stands to benefit the most from this)?” she added.
She also challenged the basis of the accusation, pointing out that her statements were drawn from findings or pronouncements made by the Office of the Ombudsman. Castro questioned why the same source could be considered legitimate while her remarks, which relied on it, were being labeled as defamatory. “Can we say that the statements of the Ombudsman are with basis and not maligning while my statements sourced from the Ombudsman are nothing but libelous?” she asked.
Leviste, in filing the libel complaint, said he had no intention of causing personal harm to Castro but believed he needed to take legal action to protect his reputation.
As of Friday, Castro said she had yet to receive a copy of the complaint filed against her.
