PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan —Operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group here apprehended the former dean of the College of Criminal Justice Education at Palawan State University following complaints of grave oral defamation.

The dean — identified as Vilma Venus Andoy, was arrested by authorities on Monday at the largest institution’s main campus located in Barangay Tiniguiban here.

Reports disclosed that the arrest stemmed from a complaint filed by a certain Alexander Ganibi of the Ganibi Review Center, accusing Andoy of severely tarnishing his reputation through harsh verbal insults.

Ganibi alleged that Andoy had made derogatory remarks, saying he is not qualified to run a review center because he’s not a master’s degree graduate.

CIDG chief P/Maj. Joseph Severino confirmed her arrest to local media and clarified that she is facing charges of grave oral defamation, as stipulated in Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code related to allegations of deliberately damaging her victim’s professional reputation.

Severino said that the victim initially sought resolution at the barangay level during the third quarter of the previous year before deciding to formally file a complaint with their office. Subsequently, the case, initially handled by the prosecutor’s office, was escalated to the court following CIDG intervention.

“As per the complainant’s statement last year, the suspect tarnished his professional career by falsely claiming he did not graduate from his master’s degree and making various derogatory remarks about his profession,” Severino said.

The apprehension was conducted as part of CIDG’s Operation Pagtugis, pursuant to a warrant issued by Judge Enrique Selda of Branch 3, Municipal Trial Court, Fourth Judicial Region here dated 18 January.