Bambi Beltran files complaint against Labella, Ferro, 3 others

Cebuana entrepreneur and artist Ma. Victoria ‘Bambi’ Beltran (right) has filed a complaint against Mayor Edgardo Labella and three others for her arrest without a warrant last month. | Photo courtesy of Lawyer Vincent Isles

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuana entrepreneur and film writer, Ma. Victoria ‘Bambi’ Beltran, has filed a complaint against Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella; Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of Police Regional Director in Central Visayas (PRO-7); and three other policemen, this afternoon, June 19, 2020.

Beltran’s lawyer, Benjamin Militar, confirmed to CDN Digital that they had emailed to the Ombudsman and Office of the President the complaint for violation of Republic Act 7438 or the act defining the rights of an arrested person and arbitrary detention Article 24 of the Revised Penal Code.

Beltran was arrested at past midnight of April 19 over the post that was allegedly a false information about the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Sitio Zapatera, Barrangy Luz, Cebu City, at that time.

Prior to the post, Labella accused Beltran of spreading ‘fake news’ in his official Facebook page.

Read: Police arrest Cebuana entrepreneur accused of posting false information

According to Militar, the arrest of Beltran a few months ago was illegal and had no probable cause since Beltran’s post was not a false information.

Militar said that the manner of arrest of Beltran — where policemen in plain clothes barging in inside her home without a warrant and consent and bringing Beltran to PRO-7 headquarters and kept her incummunicado — have violated her Miranda rights which has made Ferro and three other police officers liable.

Read: Civic groups call for Bambi Beltran’s immediate release

Meanwhile, Militar said he suspected that the Labella was behind the unjust arrest acted by the police.

“It’s very clear that he was involved. Mr Labella should answer and should be responsible,” said Militar.

The complaint was also sent to the Office the President, according to Militar, so the case of Beltran and other similar cases would be given attention.

“You are just being arrested, just like that? It seems to be a precursor of the Anti-Terror Bill nga on suspicion lang on anything you can be detained. Right here it is very clear that they want to do what they want,” said Militar./dbs