Nograles mulls legal actions vs PCIJ over ‘malicious’ article

House Speaker Prospero Nograles on Tuesday said he is studying his legal options against the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) for coming up with an alleged malicious article on the rise in his wealth. In a text message, Nograles said PCIJ executive director Malou Mangahas was "training her wrath" on him because the House of Representatives was not able to ratify the Freedom of Information bill under his leadership. "I expected a terrible fallout with the non-passage of the FOI bill but not in so malicious a manner as the PCIJ article," Nograles said. The House failed to ratify the FOI bill — a landmark piece of legislation that will lift the shroud of secrecy over government transactions and data — last Friday before adjourning its session sine die due to lack of quorum. According to the PCIJ story, Nograles's statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) showed that his wealth rose from P6.5 million to P88 million in 14 years, among others. Nograles, a lawyer, said he would explain any question regarding his SALN in "the proper forum." "We are also studying all legal angles because the articles coming out are now bordering on the 'malicious' and we will also have to take the proper remedies available to us at the proper time," Nograles said. Asked whether he was considering filing libel, Nograles said, "[I] never talked about libel at all, but our legal team will surely study and research our options." The PCIJ, however, stood its ground. "The story was entirely his side — SALNs he filed and signed attested to be true and correct," said Mangahas in a text message. Nograles defended himself by saying his properties and family investments and that of his parents were "publicly known" in Davao. "When both my parents and my parents in law died within 14 years they left very substantial income producing properties for us. Our family was blessed ever since I was born," he said, adding that he would gladly explain this to PCIJ if only they asked him to. "Had she asked, I would have explained. But she published her own malicious interpretations of my financial records," Nograles said, referring to Mangahas. — KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV