Beltran arrested anew for cyberlibel

CEBU, Philippines — The members of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU)-7 has served the warrant of arrest that the Regional Trial Court in Cebu has issued for cyberlibel against multimedia artist and film writer Maria Victoria Beltran around 9 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.

RACU-7’s Police Colonel Marlo Castillo said Judge Ramon Daomillas had issued the warrant of arrest last July 21. They have received the warrant last August 5.

Beltran had posted a P10,000-bail at the city prosecutor’s office and is now waiting for her release order. Aside from Beltran, three other individuals were charged with the same case by the same private complainant.

Beltran’s counsel, Benjamin Militar, said they have not received any subpoena prior to the arrest, claiming that the case filed did not undergo due process. He added the complainant appeared to have disagreed with Beltran’s opinion on same sex marriage posted publicly on Facebook.

“Wala gyud mi idea why a warrant was issued nga wa gyud mi gi-inform ba what the charges were.  We got a glimpse of the record and it seems nga gi-imbestigar sa city prosecutor’s.  However, wala man gani mi-issue ug subpoena for Miss Beltran to file a counter-affidavit. Gideretso lang dayon ug file sa korte,” said Militar.

If they were given a chance to explain at the prosecutor’s level, Militar is confident that the case would have been dismissed.

He added that the content of the complaint filed had no basis or grounds for the charging of cyberlibel.

“In fact, if there is anybody that could be sued or liable for cyberlibel, it would be this complainant because ang iyang language goes beyond the permissible content,” he said.

Beltran was also arrested without a warrant for cyberlibel last April 19 by the joint team of the RID-7 and RACU-7 for posting on a social media platform that Sitio Zapatera, Barrio Luz, Cebu City now has 9,000 positive cases, which the authorities considered as fake news. This information has circulated in social media. /GAN (FREEMAN)