“Contrary to reports, Mr. Revillame is not evading the complaint against him as he has submitted himself to the legal process. Upon the finding of probable cause by the regional trial court of Quezon City Branch 86, Mr. Revillame sought and was immediately granted bail,” Atty. Leonard de Vera said in a statement on Monday.
“Mr. Revillame voluntarily posted bail in the amount of P80,000.00 on September 4, 2013 or more than two years ago. Accordingly, it is unnecessary for the trial court to issue a warrant of arrest against Mr. Revillame,” De Vera added.
The original case was filed in 2011 by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in response to the public outcry that met a “macho dancing” performance by a 6-year-old boy as instigated by Revillame in his TV5 game show “Willing Willie”.
“As part of Mr. Revillame’s right to due process, he appealed the trial court’s finding of probable cause against him before the Court of Appeals by way of Petition for Certiorari. However, the resolution of this appeal remained pending for 2 years, until the Court of Appeals ruled last September 7, 2015,” De Vera explained.
Revillame’s lawyer further decried what he called “inaccurate reports spreading in social and mass media” which he said were “being misinterpreted by certain quarters on account of Mr. Revillame’s success in his new show ‘Wowowin’ now being aired in GMA 7.”
“It is evident that these reports are intended merely to taint and besmirch Mr. Revillame and his new show in the Kapuso network,” De Vera concluded.
However, media reports had merely taken their cue from the CA ruling, which was released only last Friday.
Part of the decision penned by Justice Ma. Luisa Quijano-Padilla and concurred by Justices Normandie Pizarro and Samuel Gaerlan read, “As there is probable cause for the petitioner’s commission of a crime, his arrest and arraignment should now ensue so that this case may properly proceed to trial, where the merits of both parties’ evidence and allegations may be weighed.”
The decision was welcomed by DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman who recalled that the DSWD filed the case against Revillame in 2011 for violating Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law.
“It can be recalled that Mr. Revillame made a six-year old boy perform gyrating dance movements on national television in an earlier version of his show,” Soliman further noted.
She said the DSWD remains committed in its “mandate of promoting and protecting the welfare of children, in all aspects and settings.”
Meanwhile, De Vera maintained that his client is innocent.
“Mr. Revillame has the Constitutional right to be presumed innocent while his case is being heard by the court. We categorically assert that there is no evidence that Mr. Revillame is guilty of the the crime charged against him. Mr. Revillame remains confident that he will be vindicated as he had absolutely no criminal intent when he invited the child contestant to showcase his talent. He had done nothing to degrade, debase, or demean the dignity of the child,” he asserted.
source: interaksyon.com
