ANGELES CITY — A cyber libel case has been filed against a member of a local foundation and two journalists for their alleged malicious imputations against a renowned charity organization based in Michigan, USA.
The cyber libel case was filed by the top executives of the World Medical Relief Inc. (WMRI), a 67-year old charity organization, against William J. Lima, a former member of the Board of Trustee of WMR-Philippine National Business and Coordination Center Foundation Inc. (PNBCCFI), journalist Benjamin Pulta and Cynthia V. Luna, acting managing editor of the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
In a 10-page complaint, WMRI president and CEO George Samson filed the case last December 13, 2019 for violation of Section 4 (c) Paragraph 4 of RA 10175 known as Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 before the City Prosecutor’s Office here.
The complaint stemmed from a PNA article published in its website last October 15, 2019 which allegedly discredited the honor of WMRI’s philanthropic mission in the Philippines.
The PNA news story online stated that (brokers of) “an international aid group which has been allegedly dumping medical wastes and defective medical equipment into the country.”
Lima was the alleged originator of information written by Pulta and published in the PNA website.
Samson complained that Lima, et al, published the article “without due regard for truth, propriety and fairness.” He said the statement of Lima caused the online writing and publication of “scurrilous, injurious, defamatory and libelous article” at the PNA, allegedly with the “intention of attacking and exposing WMRI to public ridicule, contempt and hatred.”
In the said article, the respondents “knowingly and maliciously ascribed and fabricated fictitious acts” and alleged that for the past 12 years, WMRI has been dumping medical wastes and defective medical equipment in the country, Samson said.
It was also stated in the said article that the last shipment made by WMRI were alleged “cancer medicines” which managed to enter the country without the necessary permit from the United States regulatory offices as to their legitimacy.
Samson belied said article published by the PNA and stated that WMRI has neither dumped medical wastes into the Philippines or to other parts of the world nor gave medicines without the necessary permit from the US regulatory offices.
Track record
He said “WMRI’s track record, not only in the Philippines but in other parts of the world, will belie all of Lima and other respondents’ malicious imputations against the honor of WMRI.”
“As the President and Chief Executive Officer, WMRI has always acted within the scope and bounds of its aim and vision which is serving the sick and poor locally, nationally and internationally since 1953,” Samson said.
Samson claimed that “such defamatory statements published by the PNA are unsupported by any proof and clearly reveal that these were specifically crafted and maliciously engineered to cause damage to the good name and reputation of WMRI.”
WMRI, for years now, had extended countless medical assistance and donated medical equipment and supplies. Some of them include those given to Bayugan Community Hospital in Agusan del Sur (40-ft container medical equipment and supplies worth $402,690); St. Claire Hospital, Quezon Bukidnon, three 40- ft containers amounting to $987,521; Ricardo Limso Memorial Hospital, Davao City, a 40-ft container with estimated appraisal of $429,440; Digos Doctors Hospital, Davao Del Sur; Municipalities of La Paz and San Luis, Agusan Del Sur, three 40-ft containers and two Ford E-350 Diesel Ambulances worth $1.3 million; Provincial Government of Camarines Sur; and PRO 11 PNP General Hospital, Davao City received three 40-ft containers worth $1.3 million.
In recognition, WMRI had received numerous citations and commendations from various LGUs including Angeles City, Cebu City, Toledo City, Municipality of Janiuay in Iloilo, Municipality of Itogon in Benguet, and City of Mati, Davao Oriental.
The WMRFI was also given a “4-Star Rating” by Charity Navigator, a premier evaluator for charities.
Purportedly with the purpose of coordinating WMRI’s passion to help the country, Lima together with David Lee Zarate, Bernardito Ang, and two others organized and registered a nonstock and non-profit corporation under the name of WMR-Philippine National Business and Coordination Center Foundation Inc (WMR-PNBCCFI), and became a member of its board of trustees.
As coordinator to the Philippines, PNBCCFI acted as screening committee of the Philippine entity applicants that would become the benefi ciaries of WMRI.
The complaint said being a former member of the Board of Trustees, Lima is aware of the track record of WMRI’s philanthropic activities.
He knows earnestly and truthfully the good intention of WMRI towards the Philippines, and that Lima is cognizant of the fact that WMRI means no harm to the country, the complaint stated.
