The libel complaints were filed last week at the City Prosecution Office by Police Inspector Tirso Escobar, Police Officers 1 Conrado Malon Abalos Jr. and Franklin Flores against Marlyn Dimaano and her son John Lester.
The complainants used as basis in filing libel the taped recorded interviews of the Dimaanos, which were aired last August 26 over Lakad Bayan, news and current affairs program of DXND-AM of the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation.
Escobar said the statements made by the Dimaanos “were defamatory and destroyed my person.”
Abalos also said that the accusations were baseless and had tarnished the image of the Kidapawan City PNP.
During the radio interview, Dimaano accused Escobar, Flores, and Abalos of stealing P100,000 in cash, which she kept in a drawer, when the policemen searched her house last August 19. “The police officers entered our house without a search warrant. That is illegal entry,” she said during the August 26 radio interview.
But Escobar denied the charges, saying they did not search the house. We only stayed in her house for about two minutes. When we found that the couple was not inside, we immediately left the place,” he said.
Escobar has filed a P2-million libel suit against Dimaano; while Flores and Abalos filed a similar suit amounting to P1.5 million.
The warrant of arrest against Marlyn and her husband Noel emanated from the eight counts of estafa filed against them by Dr. Carlota Sandique, owner of a rubber plantation in Makilala, North Cotabato.
The Dimaano couple posted bail amounting to P640,000 for their temporary liberty.