Warrant of arrest issued vs. Jude Bacalso over misgendering issue

Judge Bacalso | JUDE BACALSO FB

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A warrant of arrest for grave slander by deed has been issued against Jude Bacalso, the Cebu personality whose name made headlines due to a misgendering controversy in July of 2024.

Bacalso caused a nationwide stir after she made a 24-year-old waiter stand for almost two hours when he mistakenly called her “sir.”

The incident took place at a restaurant located at a shopping mall in Cebu City on July 21.

Scared to lose his first job, the young man, who is originally from Leyte, had no choice but to stand still in front of Jude Bacalso as she allegedly threw insults and threats of termination at him.

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After the incident was posted online, it quickly went viral and Bacalso was put in the hot seat.

Faced with criticism from various sectors, Jude Bacalso apologized to other workers at the establishment for the incident but also stood her ground by stating that she had a valid complaint.  

Meanwhile, the victim Mark (not his real name), reportedly experienced psychological distress after the incident and sought the help of Lawyer Ron Ivan Gingoyon. 

A psychological evaluation Mark took showed that he experienced traumatic stress reactions due to the incident.

He had crying episodes, avoided being seen in public out of fear and shame, had difficulty sleeping, and was anxious about his safety.

Mark decided to deactivate his social media account after the story went viral and his fear worsened.

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In pursuit of accountability, Mark decided to file charges as Bacalso not only humiliated and insulted him but also allegedly threatened him with termination.

They lodged complaints of Unjust Vexation, Grave Scandal, Grave Coercion, Grave Threats, and Slight Illegal Detention against Bacalso at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office on August 28.

A few months later, Gingoyon received the order about the warrant of arrest against Bacalso on Tuesday, January 7.   

Gingoyon told CDN Digital that the warrant was issued by the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 6. The bail is set at P18,000. 

He added that the arraignment and pre-trial for the case has been scheduled for January 23, 2025.

CDN Digital reached out to Jude Bacalso for her comments on this development but there has been no reply, as of this writing.