CA orders Revillame’s arrest for child abuse

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld the arrest warrant issued by a Regional Trial Court (RTC) against TV host and comedian Willie Revillame over a child abuse case filed in 2013.

In an 11-page decision released last week, the 13th division of the appellate court affirmed the order issued by Quezon City RTC Branch 86 for the arrest of Revillame after establishing probable cause in the child exploitation case against him.

The CA dismissed Revillame’s petition seeking to void the arrest warrant, which he described as arbitrary. 

“We observe that the resolution of this case had long been delayed because of the petitioner’s refusal to submit to the trial court’s jurisdiction and his erroneous invocation of the Rules (of Court) in his favor,” read the ruling penned by Associate Justice Ma. Luisa Quijano-Padilla.

“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,” it stressed.

The CA rejected the claim that the issuance of the warrant was arbitrary, ruling that Judge Roberto Buenaventura personally evaluated the factual circumstances that led him to believe there was probable cause for the charge.

It reminded the comedian that when the lower court determined probable cause, “absolute certainty of evidence is not required.”

Associate Justices Normandie Pizarro and Samuel Gaerlan concurred with the ruling, paving the way for the enforcement of the warrant.

The case stemmed from a March 12, 2011 episode of Revillame’s defunct prime time TV game show “Willing Willie” where the comedian asked a six-year-old contestant to dance using gyrating moves that are often associated with “macho dancers” or male strippers.

Revillame then gave the boy P10,000 and allowed the boy to repeat his performance on a raised hydraulic circular platform together with the show dancers.

Several days after the episode, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) received several complaints, prompting it to file a case for child abuse in violation of Republic Act 7610, which protects children from abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

The DSWD alleged that the incident constituted psychological abuse, cruelty and emotional maltreatment and that it debased, degraded and demeaned the boy’s dignity.

The Quezon City prosecutor’s office ruled that Revillame participated in committing child abuse when he encouraged the boy to repeat his dance moves and did not do anything to stop it.

The RTC issued a warrant of arrest on Sept. 4, 2013 after disagreeing with the argument that the dance was neither indecent nor obscene and that Revillame had no intention to violate the law.

It said that the contentions are “matters of defense that should be raised during the trial proper.”