Sweet: ‘I’ve had enough’

Comedian- TV host John Lapus says he is bent on filing a libel case against Jobert Sucaldito to keep the columnist-radio show host from writing “erroneous” stories about him.

Lapus intends to include in his suit as respondents the Inquirer tabloid Bandera, for which Sulcadito writes a column, and ABS-CBN radio station dzMM, where the latter also has a radio program.

“Almost every year tinitira ako ni Jobert. Dinedema ko na lang,” Lapus said during a press conference for his new movie “Who’s That Girl,” which will premiere in theaters on March 2. “I’m sure you’ve read or heard about his recent article. I feel that if I don’t file this case against Jobert, he will keep doing this.”

Lapus was referring to Sucaldito’s column on Feb. 19, which carried the headline “Sweet, nagwala sa bar.”

He said what Sucaldito wrote is “one big lie.” Lapus explained: “He wrote that I was drunk and that I made a scene in a bar (The Library in Malate, Manila). Jobert also said a guy in the audience got so angry with me that he almost hit me with a beer bottle. These are all false. He wrote the column as if he was actually there.”

Lapus also said Andrew de Real, The Library owner, and another talent, Phillip Lazaro, have appeared on television to deny Sucaldito’s story. “These are credible people. They won’t tell lies. People can even ask the waiters there if it really happened. Biruan lang ang lahat. Where did Jobert get his info?”

In Sucaldito’s column on Feb. 22, he said he was standing by his report. Sucaldito insisted that he personally talked with a customer named Kiko, who admitted that he almost attacked Lapus for telling dirty jokes.

“I will defend the truth hanggang sa huling hibla ng buhok ko,” Sucaldito said. “I’m ready to defend myself and my work as a journalist.”

‘Irresponsible journalism’

Lapus stressed that the Bandera report was “a classic case of irresponsible journalism.” He consulted his lawyer, who, he said, told him, “The headline alone is libelous.”

Lapus said there was even a time when he met with Peter Musngi, ABS-CBN vice president for radio, to ask for help to make Sucaldito stop “lambasting” him.

The Bandera team said it will issue a statement this week. Vice president for operations Imee Alcantara said a consultation with the company lawyer has been set.

Sucaldito, in a phone interview on Friday, said, “I have evidence to back me up. My credibility is important to me. (Lapus) is a public property. He should make sure nothing negative about him comes out in the papers. It’s not right to threaten writers with a libel case whenever you read something you don’t like.”