Militar on complaint against Beltran: ‘It is not a violation of the cybercrime law’

Cebuana film writer and entrepreneur Maria Victoria “Bambi” Beltran is taken for finger printing after she was arrested on Wednesday morning, August 12, 2020, by personnel of the Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Unit Central Visayas (RACU-7). | RACU-7 photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—- Cebuana filmmaker Maria Victoria “Bambi” Beltran’s camp was surprised with her arrest on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, here.

According to Beltran’s lawyer Benjamin Militar, they are still puzzled on how a warrant of arrest was granted by Cebu City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 11 Judge Ramon Daomillas without hearing their side.

Beltran was arrested by personnel of the Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Unit Central Visayas (RACU-7) for a cyberlibel complaint by a private complainant, whose name wasn’t revealed.

Read: Cebuana artist and entrepreneur Bambi Beltran arrested anew

“It was important for us or it is important for us, that it should have passed or it should have been properly investigated and we would have answered it at the city prosecutions office. Because we are very confident that at the level of the prosecutor, we could have this dismissed. It should not have been filed in court and unnecessarily hailing miss Beltran in court, it is such unnecessary harassment,” Militiar told CDN Digital in a phone interview.

Militar stated that the cyberlibel complaint that was filed against Beltran was not necessary. It was from an individual who Beltran had an exchange with on Facebook allegedly due to differences in opinion.

“It is not a violation of the cybercrime law, it is not libel. You can render an opinion and if she does not agree, that is not libel,” he said.

As of this posting, the Beltran camp has already posted a bail of P10,000 and is now waiting for the judge to sign the release papers.

“There will be a court hearing on September 14 and we ask or expect the judge to dismiss the case,” said Militar. /bmjo