Korean operator of VIP airport lounge in Aklan to sue Army officer for libel

KALIBO, Aklan—The Korean operator of a VIP airport lounge in this town will file libel and other criminal complaints against an Army officer who accused the management of the lounge of discriminating against Filipinos.

But the Domabem Corp. will drop the complaints if 1Lt. Ryan Layug issues a public apology to the company, according to Rowena Mae Mencias, the company’s legal counsel.

“They just want to clear their name because they have been (unfairly) criticized,” she told the INQUIRER.

Mencias said they will file this week a complaint of libel in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act against Layug for posting on his Facebook page “malicious and false accusations” against the lounge’s management.

The company will also file oral defamation and slander by deed complaints against Layug before the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Layug could not be reached for comment. His mobile phone was unattended or out of coverage area.

Layug, executive officer of Bravo Company of the Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion deployed in Surigao del Norte, earlier accused the management of the 18-seater lounge of refusing him services on Jan. 1 because the lounge catered purportedly only to Koreans.
He alleged that a Filipina staff member told him that the lounge was only for Koreans and later said it was fully booked. His post has become viral in social media.

The company has disputed Layug’s allegations, saying there was a miscommunication.