Senator Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday chided Philippine Consul General in Milan Elmer Cato after learning that the latter included overseas Filipino workers, victims of an illegal recruitment scheme, in a cyber libel case he filed against DAILY TRIBUNE.

This, after Vanessa Antonio, one of the victims of the said firm, burst into tears while Cato was speaking during the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers hearing on the widescale illegal recruitment activities of Milan-based immigration consultancy firm Alpha Assistenza SRL.

This prompted Tulfo, who presided over the hearing, to ask Antonio why she was sobbing during Cato's testimony.

Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Antonio revealed that she was one of those charged by Cato with cyber libel.

Cato filed a P10 million defamation complaint against the editorial staff of the DAILY TRIBUNE, as well as the victims of Alpha Assistenza SRL.

“I was one of those he charged with cases. I was also one of the victims of the Alpha Assistenza. I am a former OFW in Taiwan,” Antonio said while sobbing.

“I was just dreaming of a better life for my family,” she added.

Upon learning about the complaints, Tulfo then asked Cato: “She was a victim and yet you filed a case against them. Damn, what is wrong with you, sir?”

In his defense, Cato said he included Antonio and two other victims of the Alpha Assistenza SRL because they were the ones quoted by the DAILY TRIBUNE in a series of articles that he said contained “false accusations” against him.

“They were the ones being quoted but I’ve talked to them and I was told the statements published from the newspapers were not theirs,” he said.

“They were being quoted as saying that I did not act on the complaints they brought to my attention,” he added.

According to the victims, who reached out to TRIBUNE’s digital program, “Usapang OFW” in September last year, Cato allegedly sat on their complaints against Alpha Assistenza SRL.

Antonio reiterated that the victims of the said firm sought TRIBUNE’s assistance to reach out to him.

“We sought the DAILY TRIBUNE’s help since September. The DAILY TRIBUNE also asked for his side,” she said.

Apple Cabasis, one of the victims who were also charged by Cato, supported Antonio’s claims.

“We reached out to the DAILY TRIBUNE to complain about the Alpha. The complaints about Cato received by the DAILY TRIBUNE did not come from us,” Cabasis said.

“We just became the messenger because we were the first ones interviewed,” she added.

Tulfo interjected to ask Cabasis about the allegations against Cato which the latter answered.

“We were the source on the Alpha case. About the allegations against Cato, they came from the OFWs in Milan. We were just forwarding it to the DAILY TRIBUNE,” Cabasis told Tulfo.

Tulfo then asked Cato to respond to Cabasis’ claims.

“So, there was really legitimate complaint, Consul General. These complaints are valid. They just forwarded it to the DAILY TRIBUNE and DAILY TRIBUNE has to right that because the claims are valid,” he said.

Cato then requested the Senate panel to let TRIBUNE provide the names of the OFWs complaining to him.

TRIBUNE’s legal counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said the paper is willing to share the proof as long as Cato is willing to waive his rights to the Data Privacy Act.

Cato affirmed that he was willing to waive his rights. It, however, did not materialize due to time constraints.

‘Fairness’

For its part, Maria Bettina M. Fernandez, Executive Vice President of the Concept Information Group, the mother company of the DAILY TRIBUNE, stressed that the paper sought Cato’s side.

“We have never been parsimonious with the opportunity to air both sides of the story unlike what you said in your libel case,” Fernandez said, referring to Cato.

“As in fact, not only did we whole-heartedly entertain a certain Jeffrey Villalon. He’s not here, who held himself out as the marketing director of Alpha Assistenza in order to get his side of the story,” she added.

She continued: “We advised him [Cato], being a friend, to issue an official statement as he refused to be interviewed in order to clear the air so to speak. All of these things can be proven and are documented.”

Villalon reached out to TRIBUNE last year to expose the alleged close ties between Respicio, one of the owners of the Alpha Assistenza, and Cato.

He also provided the paper with a video showing a Philippine Consulate General in Milan event that was allegedly hosted by Alpha Assistenza.

The said video was shown during the Senate hearing.

Fernandez reiterated that the accounts of the victims were only carried by TRIBUNE.

“The DAILY TRIBUNE must exhibit fealty to its duty to disseminate news and information -- without fear without favor -- as our masthead defines,” she said.

Tulfo, himself, attested to the fairness of the paper.

“I just want to add, Mr. Cato, to what they are saying that TRIBUNE was fair. I attest to that because recently when I was featured in the TRIBUNE when I sent them a letter, they aired my side,” he said.

“You should have listened and talked to them when they reached out to you because TRIBUNE is fair. That was your mistake. You ignored them,” he added.

He continued: “Hence, they reached out to other government agencies and they were given help. The issue became bigger.”

Tulfo then schooled government officials, including Cato, to respond whenever journalists are asking for their side of the story.

“The first moment when the media reach out for your side, answer them. Do not be scared. You should be happy instead because other media entities would just hit you without getting your side,” he said.

“When the media call you to get your side, you should celebrate because that means they are fair,” he added.