Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” M. Abante, Jr. filed cyberlibel and libel complaints on Tuesday against lawyer Levito D. Baligod, 18 bagmen, and a media outlet, as reported by BusinessWorld, over claims linking him to an alleged kickback scheme.
In a statement, Mr. Abante denied the allegations, calling them baseless and part of a malicious attempt to malign his reputation. He said he initiated legal action to protect his name and clear his record.
The complaints were filed before the Manila Prosecutors Office. Mr. Baligod and the other respondents have yet to release their response to the charges.