ANOTHER criminal case has been filed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan against the seven barangay captains who initially filed a complaint against the mayor before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.On Tuesday, March 15, 2022, Chan sued the barangay captains for allegedly committing grave oral defamation under Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code and violating Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.The respondents of the case filed by the mayor are Eduardo Cuizon (Bankal), Eleonor Fontanoza (Gun-ob), Regina Ybañez (Looc), Triponia Abayan (Tungasan), Joselito Tibon (Subabasbas), Reynaldo Tampus (Canjulao), and Rosalino Abing (Maribago).Last Feb. 9, the barangay captains led by Cuizon, who is the president of the City’s Liga ng mga Barangay, filed a complaint against Chan and nine others for allegedly violating Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code or Malversation of Public Funds and Sections 3 and 4 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, over the purchase of more than P47 million worth of food items and non-food relief items from a supplier identified as a furniture exporter.In the latest criminal case, Chan said that during a press conference organized by the village chiefs last Feb. 15, the respondents “willfully and deliberately attacked complainant’s reputation by making defamatory utterances, maliciously and with evident ill-will.”Chan added that the statements made by the respondents during their press conference were clearly “unfounded and untrue” and were made to debase and malign the hard work of the mayor.Chan further stated in his complaint that Cuizon “lied through his teeth” when asked whether or not there was any recommendation from the Commission on Audit (COA) on how to rectify the alleged questionable transactions of the mayor.The mayor said the COA only made recommendations for “further submissions” but “did not raise any questions regarding the supplier’s eligibility.”Chan claims that the questioned transactions were “all above board and legal.”Oral defamation or slander is punishable by arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period or four months and one day to two years and four months in jail.In a text message sent to SunStar Cebu Wednesday, March 16, Cuizon said he would not yet provide a statement since he had yet to receive a copy of the complaint.This is the second case that Chan has lodged against the seven barangay captains.The first case was filed last March 8 for the crime of perjury under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code.