Lawyer Lord “Popot” Marapao IV

Lawyer Lord “Popot” Marapao IV emphasized that Gov. Arthur Yap will never attempt to silence critics as long as criticisms are done within the bounds of law.

The governor’s personal legal counsel said this statement during a radio interview over OPEN FORUM program hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Dave Albarado today, Monday, July 19, 2021.

The governor’s lawyer said that everyone is free to criticize the governor as long as criticisms are legal and fair.

Marapao said that the governor would rather let the people criticize him and lose the election than to win the polls but tyrannically suppress the right of people to lawfully criticize the provincial administration.

At the same time, Marapao cautioned, that the people must realize that they cannot wantonly criticize a public official as criticisms may be construed as libelous.

Marapao said that libel is not a protected speech in the constitution .

The libel charge filed by the governor against a critic is a way for him to protect his dignity, Marapao explained.

He added that allegations being hurled against the governor is expected given that the elections are just around the corner.

The lawyer made the comment as he and the rest of the governor’s legal team say that they are ready to answer any charges hurled against the governor and companions if they are asked by the Ombudsman to reply to the allegations.

However, Marapao maintains that the accusations leveled against the governor and other provincial officials are meant to generate black propaganda and bear a similar pattern to what happened to Vice Gov. Rene Relampagos.

It can be recalled that Relampagos was unseated as governor in 2001 after losing in the elections and one of the factors that led to the loss was the black propaganda hurled at Relampagos.

In his opinion, Marapao said the complaint filed against Yap and others is not going to hold water and will take time for any progress on the case to happen.

Last week, former Tagbilaran mayor Dan Neri Lim filed a complaint against Yap, provincial administrator Kathyrin Pioquinto and members of the Bids and Awards Committee of the Provincial Government alleging irregularities in some transactions at the Capitol.