A self-styled “honorable consul” from a war-ravaged country in Africa has lodged a libel complaint against two prominent editors of the Bohol Chronicle and demanded one million pesos worth of moral damages. Honorable Dr. Benjamin Aggenstein, who claimed to be an “honorary consul of Sierra Leone” but has indicated that his address is in Kilometer 10, Dao, Dauis, Bohol, also slapped Chito Mendoza Visarra, a reporter for the Bohol Chronicle, with the same libel charges. Surprisingly, the late founder-publisher of the Chronicle, Zoilo Dejaresco Jr., who is considered as the “father of Bohol media,” has also been made respondent to the libel complaint. Aside from Visarra, also made respondents were Chronicle editor-in-chief Bingo Dejaresco and associate editor Peter P. Dejaresco, who is also the general manager of Bohol Chronicle Radio Corporation (BCRC).

A source said that Visarra is also slapped with grave oral defamation charges reportedly filed by Aggenstein. The two, according to Post sources, had reportedly engaged in verbal war inside DYRD’s premises when the complainant confronted Visarra over what he had previously written. The complaint, filed on Thursday before the City Prosecution Office and is now under the review of Assistant City Prosecutor Bibiana Bautista, originated from a June 9, 2013 news article of the Bohol Chronicle entitled “Police raids property of “honorary consul.” Aggenstein, the foreign-looking guy whose face can hardly be ignored due to an oversized ad tarpaulin hanging at the New City Square fronting Bohol Quality Mall, narrated in his affidavit that the said article written by Visarra “terribly destroyed and damaged my name, person, reputation, integrity and social standing,” adding that he “suffered sleepless nights, mental anguish, serious anxiety, besmirched reputation, wounded feelings, moral shock and social humiliation.”

“I did not in any manner own an illegal shooting range nor illegally possess firearms within my office or place of business,” Aggenstein said in his complaint-affidavit. He said that “when media people or news reporter arrived at my premises, they did not in any perspective saw that someone was firing his gun at what they called firing range nor they heard that firearms were fired inside my premises or official place of business.” The complainant claimed that “there was an erroneously grave and strong negative connotation that that the firearms and ammunitions seized by the police team are owned by me.” In filing the libel complaint, Aggenstein invoked a United Nations (UN) Resolution concerning the kind of treatment accorded to diplomatic officials. “Being an honorary consul, I am entitled to enjoy all diplomatic immunity and privileges coupled with honorable treatment, utmost respect and accommodating hospitality PER UN RESOLUTION 95.83 ARTICLES 9,10 and 11,” he said in his sworn statement, which was signed by Eulogio B. Borres Jr., a court prosecutor based in Cebu City.

Meanwhile, Aggenstein is also facing an estafa charges filed Rodrigo Balaba of Cavalry Transport who accused Aggenstein for issuing Bank of Philippine Islands check no. 0817501 in the amount of Php10,000.00 as down payment for the use of a car for 30 days. The check was drawn against insufficient funds (DAIF), according to court records obtained from Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) 7th Judicial Region Branch 2 under Judge Emma Eronico Supremo. Two other complainants, Romualdo Guibone and Jose Anislag, joint business partners of Aggenstein, had also filed estafa charges against Aggenstein. OIC Assistant City Prosecutor Farah Ricarda Parras-Matuod has found probable cause to try Aggenstein “for willfully, unlawfully and feloniously violating provisions of BP Bilang 22,” court records said.