The Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the filing of multiple criminal charges against the group popularly referred to as the “18 Maleta Boys” and lawyer Levito Baligod following the completion of preliminary investigations into complaints arising from a joint sworn statement and related public statements.
In a statement, the DOJ said the Office of the Prosecutor General affirmed the recommendations of the investigating prosecution panels to file criminal information before the appropriate courts after finding sufficient prima facie evidence to proceed with prosecution.
The cases stem from complaints involving the execution and circulation of a joint sworn statement, as well as press conferences, media interviews, social media posts and other online publications linked to the respondents.
Under the approved resolutions, the members of the so-called “18 Maleta Boys” will face a total of 10 criminal Informations consisting of six counts of cyber libel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and four counts of perjury.
Baligod will be named as a co-accused in some of the cases filed against the group. Prosecutors also approved the filing of a separate information charging him with one count of cyber libel.
The DOJ said the corresponding Informations will be filed before the proper trial courts, where the cases will proceed in accordance with existing laws and due process.
At the same time, the department said several other complaints covered by the same resolutions were dismissed after prosecutors found insufficient prima facie evidence to establish a reasonable certainty of conviction.
According to the DOJ, the findings were based on an evaluation of the evidence submitted by both the complainants and respondents during the preliminary investigation.
The department emphasized that the approval of the prosecution panels’ recommendations does not constitute a finding of guilt but signifies that prosecutors found sufficient basis to pursue criminal charges in court, where the evidence will be fully examined during trial.