Court issues arrest warrant vs. Rhod Tecson
A local court has issued a warrant of arrest against broadcaster Rhoderick “Rhod” Tecson after it turned down his motion for judicial determination on the libel charges filed by Dr. Evangeline Johnson, president of the Saviour International Hospital in Molo, Iloilo City.
A text message sent by Joy de Leon, marketing officer of the Saviour International Hospital, said this ruling made by Judge Fe Gallon-Gayanilo of the Regional Trial Court Branch 35 paves the way for a full-blown trial of this libel complaint against Tecson for his defamatory commentaries in his radio program over RMN DYRI 774 more than a year ago.
It was not immediately known how much was the bail set by the court for Tecson’s temporary liberty.
Sources said the issuance of the warrant of arrest forced Tecson to be absent from his program this morning, Sept. 19, for fear that he might spend the long weekend in jail.
In January 2009, Tecson swallowed his pride and knelt before then DOJ secretary Raul Gonzalez to beg for the latter’s intervention to get the libel charged reversed. Before this happened, Tecson often castigated Gonzalez on his program. Then, Tecson started singing “alleluiahs” in praise of Gonzalez in a desperate effort to get his help.
Unfortunately for Tecson, Gonzalez was kicked out of his job as DOJ secretary, and he was unable to stop the case from proceeding.
Sources inside RMN described Tecson as turning “deathly pale white” upon learning that a warrant of arrest had been issued against him.
