Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan has filed five counts of cyberlibel against 45-year-old tattoo artist and self-proclaimed political critic, Humprey Elvira. The cases were officially submitted to the City Prosecutor’s Office on October 31, 2024.
Mayor Chan acknowledged that public scrutiny comes with being a public servant but stated that Elvira’s attacks on social media had crossed the line. “Criticism is part of public service, but these posts have gone below the belt,” Chan said.
Chan mentioned that he had attempted to engage with Elvira and listen to any suggestions the tattoo artist might have for improving the city’s governance. However, he claimed that Elvira continued to launch personal attacks on him through social media platforms.
The charges pertain to allegedly defamatory posts made by Elvira on September 1, 3, and 19, as well as on October 8 and 9. Chan suggested that Elvira’s actions might be politically motivated and supported by one of his opponents.
In response, Elvira maintained that his criticisms targeted Mayor Chan’s governance and not his personal life. He stressed that, as an independent political commentator not affiliated with any media outlet, he was not obligated to present the other side of the story in his social media posts.
Elvira acknowledged his support for Ryan Yuson, who plans to run for the congressional seat of Lapu-Lapu City’s Lone District in the 2025 elections. However, he denied being hired to criticize Chan, stating that his political commentary was of his own volition.
“I have always been a political critic, even of the administration before Chan’s,” Elvira said, noting that this was the first time a public official had taken legal action against him.
Elvira previously ran as an independent candidate for city councilor in the 2022 elections and sought a barangay council seat in Canjulao in 2023. He mentioned that the opposition had approached him to run for office in 2025, but he declined, choosing instead to remain an independent critic.
Elvira concluded by stating that he is ready to face the charges brought against him by Mayor Chan.
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