Press Release
July 14, 2022

Gatchalian files cyberlibel charges vs ex-DOE chief Cusi

Former Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi faces criminal complaint before the Valenzuela City Prosecutor's Office following the filing of cyberlibel charges made by Senator Win Gatchalian.

Gatchalian's complaint was based on Cusi's official statement posted on the DOE website on February 4, 2022 that casts malice on the reputation and integrity of the senator and the Senate Committee on Energy's investigation during the 18th Congress on the issues surrounding the transfer of the 45% participating interest of Chevron Philippines in the Malampaya gas project. According to Gatchalian, Cusi's statement was defamatory because it characterizes the committee hearings as based solely on speculation and hearsay propagated by certain business interests.

"Cusi's statement is clearly defamatory and obviously intended to cause dishonor, discredit, or contempt not merely of my position as a Senator of the Republic but more importantly of my integrity as a public servant," Gatchalian said, adding that the integrity of the whole Senate as an institution was also put into question.

"A simple reading of Cusi's statement shows that he characterizes the conduct of the Senate investigation as being tainted with bad faith for being highly irregular and politicized," he added.

Cusi made his statement after Senate Resolution No. 137, proposed by Gatchalian and adopted by the Senate, was transmitted to the Office of the Ombudsman. The said resolution expressed the sense of the Senate to file the appropriate criminal and administrative charges for gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service against the former Energy Secretary and other concerned DOE officials for approving and recommending the Chevron Philippines-UC Malampaya transaction contrary to law and regulation.

The senator also filed the Chairman's Report, which was the basis of the said Senate Resolution, before the Ombudsman and the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

"Cusi's statement was made with actual malice because from the very beginning, he knows that his statement is untruthful since he is aware that I or any of the members of the Senate Committee on Energy were never influenced by any business interest in the course of the Senate investigation," Gatchalian said.

"He never called my attention to my alleged involvement in whatever he was ranting about nor did he raise the issue, whether formally or informally, during the Senate investigation. Cusi should have filed a complaint against me before the Senate Ethics Committee or the Office of the Ombudsman if he's accusing me of committing a crime. Until the present, I have not received any formal complaint regarding this matter," the senator concluded.

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Gatchalian nagsampa ng kasong cyberlibel laban kay dating DOE chief Cusi

Nahaharap ngayon sa kasong kriminal sa Valenzuela City Prosecutor's Office si dating Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi matapos magsampa ng reklamong cyberlibel si Senador Win Gatchalian.

Ang batayan ni Gatchalian sa kanyang reklamo ay ang opisyal na pahayag ni Cusi na inilathala sa DOE website noong Pebrero 4, 2022 na humahamak sa reputasyon at integridad ng senador pati na sa imbestigasyon ng Senate Energy Committee noong 18th Congress na may kinalaman sa bentahan ng 45% participating interest ng Chevron Philippines sa Malampaya gas project.

Ang mga nasabing pahayag ni Cusi, ani Gatchalian, ay mapanirang puri dahil nagpapahiwatig ito na batay lamang sa espekulasyon at sabi-sabi ang naging pagdinig ng komite na pinalaganap ng ilang may interes sa nasabing negosyo.

"Ang pahayag ni Cusi ay malinaw na paninirang-puri at naglalayong hiyain, sirain, at hamakin, hindi lamang ang aking posisyon bilang Senador ng Republika kundi pati na rin ang aking integridad bilang isang lingkod bayan," sabi ni Gatchalian. Paglapastangan din ito sa Senado bilang isang institusyon.

"Ipinapahiwatig din ni Cusi na ang nangyaring imbestigasyon sa Senado, na dinaluhan mismo ng dating kalihim at dati niyang mga kasama sa trabaho, ay kaduda-duda at pamumulitika lamang," sabi pa ng senador.

Inilabas ni Cusi ang kanyang pahayag matapos maipadala sa Office of the Ombudsman ang Senate Resolution No. 137 na iminungkahi ni Gatchalian at pinagtibay ng Senado. Ang nasabing resolusyon ay naglalaman ng "Sense of the Senate" na magsampa ng mga kaukulang kasong kriminal at administratibo tulad ng gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, at conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service laban sa kay Cusi, sampu ng iba pang mga dating opisyal ng DOE kasunod ng pag-apruba at pagrekomenda nila sa transaksyon sa Malampaya na salungat sa mga umiiral na batas at regulasyon.

Ang Chairman's Report, na naging batayan ng nasabing Senate Resolution, ay isinampa ni Gatchalian sa Ombudsman at Civil Service Commission (CSC).

"Malisyoso ang inilabas na pahayag ni Cusi dahil sa simula pa lang ay alam niya na hindi ito totoo at ni isa sa mga miyembro ng Senate Committee on Energy ay hindi kailanman naimpluwensyahan ng sinumang may business interest habang isinasagawa namin ang imbestigasyon," sabi ni Gatchalian.

"Bakit hindi tinawag ni Cusi ang atensyon ko kahit kalian noong kasagsagan ng imbestigasyon sa Senado kung totoo ang mga akusasyon niya laban sa akin? Sana noon pa ay nagsampa na siya ng reklamo sa Senate Ethics Committee o sa Ombudsman. Hanggang ngayon ay wala akong natatanggap na pormal na reklamo tungkol sa usaping ito," pagtatapos ng senador.

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