$2.5-M defamation suit filed vs. publisher, editor of Pinoy paper in Canada

A $2.5-million defamation suit has been filed against the editors of a Filipino newspaper in Canada for allegedly making a "series of defamatory statements" about a charity foundation.

The suit, set out in three separate actions, was filed with the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto by Melinda Rustia, president of Kol Hope Foundation for Children, and her son Jeff Rustia, a fashion producer.

Named respondents in the suit were Teresita Cusipag, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Filipino community paper Balita; Romeo P. Marquez, Balita's associate editor and publisher/editor of Philippine Village Voice, Mabuhay Radio; and the Filipino Web Channel.

The cases were filed on  December 11, 2013, April 17, 2014 and July 28, 2014, respectively.

The complainants said Cusipag and Marquez made "false attacks on the legitimacy of their charitable work and accusations of fraud and impropriety," which they said were easily disproved since "charitable organizations must post their annual reports on a public website maintained by the Canada Revenue Agency."

"Furthermore, a recent routine audit has simply confirmed what the public reports have already established, which is that Kol Hope has used its revenue to benefit children's charities," Rustia said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Rustias said neither Cusipag nor Marquez has acceded to their request for an apology for the attacks, which allegedly started in May 2013.

“The defendants have been given ample time to apologize and retract their false and injurious statements. The Foundation doesn’t like to sue, but the assertion that the charity and its members are involved in fraud and self-dealing is a vicious lie," said lawyer Michael Alexander, the Rustias' legal counsel. —Rie Takumi/KBK/NB, GMA News

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