Another judge will handle the libel case filed by former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena against columnist-broadcaster Pablito “Bobby” Nalzaro.
The case was raffled last Tuesday to Judge Gilbert Moises of the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 in Cebu City.
Moises is the third judge to handle the case after Judges Ricky Jones Macabaya and Generosa Labra inhibited themselves.
Last June,Macabaya withdrew from the case saying he served as the public prosecutor in another libel case filed by Osmeña against businessman Jonathan Guardo in 2010.
Macabaya, at the time, was the resident prosecutor of RTC 18 where the case between Osmeña and Guardo was tried.
Labra let go of the case, saying both parties were her “friends.” She said that they failed to reconcile their differences “despite her“earnest efforts”.
Osmeña earlier filed a libel case against Nalzaro for writing that he “fabricated” charges against Cebu City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas to sabotage the administration of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
Prosecutor Jesus Rodrigo Taga-an said the columnist’s use of the word “fabricated” in his Oct. 25, 2014 Sun.Star column placed Osmeña in a bad light and was “malicious”.