A private school teacher surfaced before the Quezon City Hall of Justice to file his counter-affidavit to the charges he is facing for uploading the viral video of a road closure in Commonwealth, Quezon City for a very important person or VIP.
In a report by RH Val Gonzales, the teacher named Janus Munar surfaced with his legal counsel, Atty. Chel Diokno before the Quezon City Hall of Justice.
Perms Verdo Pantollano, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) officer who uttered that there was a VP passing by in Commonwealth, filed a violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code or Unlawful Use of Means of Publication and Unlawful Utterances and violation of Republic Act No. 10175 or Cyber Crime Prevention Act of 2012 against Munar.
LOOK: Lumutang sa QC Hall of Justice ang isang guro na kinasuhan ng Quezon City Police District dahil sa umano'y pagiging source ng viral video ng pagdaan ng isang VIP sa Commonwealth Ave. kamakailan. | via Val Gonzales LIVE, DZRH News
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In an interview with the media, the private school teacher said he was surprised that Pantollano sued him.
"Nagulat kami kasi akala namin yung station commander yung mag fa-file. Pero si Police Pantollano ang nag-file, sabi ko bakit? Eh siya mismo ang nagsabi na 'Oo, dadaan si VP' and then siya pa yung nag-reklamo," he said.
"Nagulat din ako with the filing of child abuse. Parang ang dali-dali manira ng pangalan kasi I've build up my reputation for 18 years already as a Teacher, ni wala akong inabusong bata. Ngayon, kinakausahan ako ng child abuse," Munar continued.
Diokno, meanwhile, asserted that his client did not share false information in the video he posted on Faceook.
"Apat ang offense sa article na iyan [Art. 154 of the Revised Penal Code], kasama doon yung spreading of false news, publishing materials without attribution, mga gano'n. Pero doon sa complaint, hindi nakalagay doon kung ano i-commit na offense. Siguro, ang tinutukoy nila ang spreading of false news, pero wala naman false doon sa na-share na video dahil kahit si Pantollano, sinabi naman niya na ayun ang binaggit sila noong in-interview siya ng hindi kilalang videographer," he said.
Diokno said the QCPD police officer contended that his 13-year-old daughter experienced trauma after watching the viral video, hence he filed a child abuse against Munar.
"Sa tingin namin, talagang unfounded ang charge na iyon dahil ang ginawa lang naman ng kliente ay i-share ang video na iyon, kung bakit may charge na gano'n," the lawyer added.
Last October, a video was posted on social media showing that a police officer blocked a portion of Commonwealth Avenue to make way for a convoy.
When asked about who was in the convoy passing the area, Pantollano said it was a "VP" or the Vice President.
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) quickly denied allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte was the cause of the road closure.
The video went viral after Former Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Teddy Casiño shared it on his social media accounts.
