First Gentleman Jose Miguel ?Mike? Arroyo has failed to convince the Court of Appeals to reconsider its earlier decision ordering the Makati City Regional Trial Court to proceed with the hearing of the multimillion-peso class suit filed by media practitioners over the string of libel cases that he filed against them.

In a ruling written by Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta, the CA?s Former Seventh Division said no new arguments were raised to set aside its Sept. 22, 2008 finding that allowed the lower court to hear the class suit initiated by journalists against Arroyo.

?To be sure, the present motion for reconsideration does not present any new issue which has not been addressed in the Court?s decision. The motion for reconsideration merely invokes rulings in certain areas already cited in the petition and memorandum of petitioner,? the appellate court stressed.

Associate Justices Edgardo Cruz and Normandie Pizarro concurred in the ruling.

In seeking to reverse the CA?s ruling, Arroyo argued that the Makati City RTC committed grave abuse of discretion in admitting the journalists? amended complaint without payment of docket fees, and in accepting their plea for ?liberality? in the application of the rules.

Arroyo said the 39 complainant-journalists and organizations were seeking damages for P487.5 million, thus, should have posted P9 million in docket fees.

The appellate court said Arroyo may still present evidence to prove his allegation of bad faith in filing the amended complaint.

?The trial court may also order the reassessment of the docket fees,? the CA said. Rey E. Requejo