Gwen sues 2 netizens for cyberlibel

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, through her private legal team, has filed 10 counts of criminal complaints for cyberlibel before the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-CEVRO) against two netizens accused of spreading malicious and false information about her on social media.

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Atty. Alex O. Avisado, one of Garcia’s legal counsels, said they recommended the prosecution of Michael Cano, also known as “Deen Chase,” and Efren Omayan, also known as “Dong Efren,” for violating Republic Act 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The two allegedly accused Garcia on social media of being “corrupt, abusive, and extortionist.”

Avisado said the Facebook posts by Cano and Omayan contain numerous lies and misleading information meant to damage the governor’s reputation.

“All these are lies... We want to punish and hold responsible itong si Michael Cano and Efren Omayan,” said Avisado.

One of Cano’s posts included a screenshot of a message thread allegedly exposing years of corruption involving the governor.

“The individual behind the message is not only connected to a reputable business entity here in Cebu but also went the extra mile to prove the legitimacy of their claims,” read Cano's caption.

Among the claims shared online was an allegation that Garcia’s family had amassed unexplained wealth. The posts alleged that her child now owns two airplanes and that the family possesses a luxury yacht worth $10 million.