The social media posts of Governor Patrick Alain T. Azanza against Powerzone Petroleum Corporation alleging profiteering, price manipulation and conflict of interest, among others, not only were false and malicious but also damaged the reputation of the company, its officers and stakeholders.
The misleading posts exposed the firm’s officers to contempt and suspicion, as it generated negative and damaging reactions among the constituents of Catanduanes and the general public, Powerzone stated in its complaint-affidavit filed against Azanza for cyberlibel in violation of Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The complaint was filed by Jeric O. Cua, the president of the company and a resident of Quezon City, last Oct. 7, 2025 before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City.
At the outset, the complainant averred that records would show that through an agreement, Powerzone acts as a fuel storage and logistics facility in the province of Catanduanes for Unioil, which has a contract to supply fuel to Sunwest Water & Electric Co. (SUWECO), the main supplier of electricity to the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative.
As separate entities with unrelated officers and owners, the suit maintained that Powerzone has no business relationship with SUWECO and it is not involved in any fuel pricing negotiations or sales between Unioil and SUWECO as the latter does not purchase fuel products from Powerzone.
But last July 25, 2025, respondent Azanza published several statements in his official and public Facebook page, directly and falsely claiming Powerzone is the supplier of fuel to SUWECO, the complaint claimed.
The statements, Cua stressed, were clearly made with the intent to mislead the public into believing that Powerzone is the direct fuel supplier of SUWECO, that it is owned by the former governor and vice-governor, that it is the cause of high cost of electricity in Catanduanes and that it is profiting at the expense of consumers by manipulating prices.
“The allegations…are false, malicious, baseless and made with total disregard of facts that are within his reach,” the complainant said.
Worse, Cua pointed out, posted a copy of Powerzone’s General Information Sheet (GIS) for 2024 and wrongly imputed political bias, profit manipulation, and unethical behavior to the company, without evidence and in complete disregard of the actual business arrangement.
It cited as evidence the testimony of the SUWECO representative during the July 24, 2025 public hearing of the Committee on Energy of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that its supplier is Unioil although it added that Unioil has an agreement with Powerzone with regards to the hauling of fuel, a fact that the respondent deliberately ignored in his post.
Also attached to the complaint were actual recordings of the SP committee meeting and a certification issued by Unioil that Powerzone acts only as a terminal and logistics/hauling contractor for Unioil, and has no authority or involvement in price setting or direct fuel sales to SUWECO.
Powerzone’s Cua prayed to the Office of the City Prosecutor to take cognizance of the complaint, issue a resolution finding probable cause to charge Gov. Azanza with Cyber Libel under Section 4(c)(4) of RA 10175 in relation to Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code, and thereafter file the appropriate Information before the court.