Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. has filed a P1-million libel suit against Newsbreak editor-in-chief Marites Vitug for imputing to him violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct and other laws for supposedly trying to ensure victory for his son, who is running for Congress.

The case was in connection with Vitug’s article entitled “SC Justice in Partisan Politics?” which was posted for 13 days starting on Dec. 3, 2009 on the ABS-CBNNEWS.com, the news website of network giant ABS-CBN.

In his complaint-affidavit filed last Friday before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office, Justice Velasco said the article caused him and his family, “irreparable dishonor, discredit and contempt.”

He alleged that Vitug, in her article, “portrayed me as an unethical person without delicadeza who has wantonly violated the Code of Judicial Conduct and existing laws.”

Justice Velasco’s son, Lord Allan, is vying for Marinduque’s lone seat in Congress against Edmundo Reyes Jr., scion of a political family in the province.

Vitug, in her article, said the High Court magistrate was “shaping up to be a key figure in his son’s” candidacy as he has been “active in organizing Allan’s ticket” having “invited at least two local officials to run with his son as councilor and promised to underwrite campaign expenses.”

She said Justice Velasco was also “present in Allan’s meetings with local leaders in his beachfront residence in Torrijos, Marinduque.”