SAN JOSE, Antique – The radioman accused of online libel was released from jail a day after he was arrested in Barangay Caridad, Hamtic, Antique.
Joint elements of the Regional Anti-Criminality Action Team and the Hamtic municipal police station caught the 38-year-old Jon Sherwin “Ontoy” Pacete around 6:30 p.m. on Friday on the strength of an arrest warrant that Judge Arthur Malabaguio of the Regional Trial Court Branch 93 in Quezon City issued on July 20.
The arrest happened while Pacete – station manager and commentator of DJJ-Radyo Natin Hamtic – was on air for his radio program.
Pacete’s father Vicente Jr. posted his P16,000 bail bond before the Regional Trial Court Branch 12 in this capital town on Saturday.
Pacete’s apprehension stemmed from the case that Antique lone district representative Paolo Javier field against him.
Pacete was accused of maliciously linking Javier to the death of District Engineer Arnel Rebeta in his Facebook post.
Rebeta was found dead in his rented room in Jaro, Iloilo City on July 9 last year.
Javier lodged the case, docketed as XV-03-INV-17-H-08073, before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Quezon City for violation of Republic Act 10175, or The Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Pacete failed to attend a series of preliminary hearings scheduled on Sept. 12 and 19, and Oct. 10, 17 and 24 in 2017.
A Nov. 24, 2017 hearing was set but Pacete still failed to attend despite the court sending him a subpoena./PN
