Topacio unfazed by Risa’s libel suit

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio on Thursday welcomed the cyberlibel complaint filed against him by Senator Risa Hontiveros, saying he had dared her to take legal action to expose what he described as her “intolerance of criticism.”

“You’re in my world now, baby,” Topacio said, referring to the courtroom.

The complaint stemmed from videos posted by Topacio and several bloggers accusing Hontiveros of bribing a former Senate witness to fabricate allegations against Apollo Quiboloy, the detained religious leader.

Hontiveros has denied the accusation, calling it a desperate attempt to derail her investigation into abuses allegedly linked to Quiboloy.

Topacio said he welcomed the legal challenge. “The complaint filed by Senator Hontiveros was not unexpected. In fact, I challenged her publicly and on air to do so.”

He said his goal was “to show the kind of public official she is — onion-skinned and intolerant of criticisms — and to give myself and other commentators a forum where she can’t hide behind parliamentary privilege.”

Topacio, who claims over a decade in media and 33 years in legal practice, vowed to present evidence in court that he says supports his statements. “Lawsuits do not faze me. The people will benefit from the information to be divulged.”