Actress Claudine Barretto went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Pasay City on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to file a cyberlibel complaint against veteran showbiz columnist Cristy Fermin and Fermin's co-host, Romel Villamor, known as Romel Chika.
Barretto arrived shortly after 2 p.m. with her lawyer, Lance Abraham Mateo. Mateo said they brought the complaint to the NBI's Cybercrime Division and that it covers videos posted on Fermin's YouTube channel. He said they would present examples of the content as evidence.
What The Complaint Is About
Barretto's camp objects to remarks made on Fermin's vlog "Showbiz Now Na!" on Oct. 17 about her health and personal life. Her camp calls the remarks untruthful and damaging. Before the filing, her lawyer sent Fermin and Villamor a cease-and-desist letter asking them to stop what it called harassment and warning of possible criminal and civil liability.
"Last straw na 'to," Barretto told reporters. She said she was very hurt, and so were her family and fans. She also said she would not settle even if the two apologized. She compared her complaint with the ones Bea Alonzo and Sharon Cuneta earlier filed against Fermin, saying those were nothing compared with what had been said about her.
When reporters asked if she had a message for Fermin, she answered, "Happy Halloween."
Fermin's Side
At the time of the Oct. 21 reports, Fermin had not responded to requests for comment on the filing. Days earlier, after Barretto announced her plan, Fermin dared her to go ahead. She told a GTV program, "Okay. See her in court na lang," and in another statement said Barretto should make sure the case had merit before the prosecutor.
What Happens Next
A complaint is not yet a court case. The NBI will evaluate the complaint and evidence to decide on next steps. Any case would still have to go through a prosecutor before it could reach a court. No charges have been filed as of this writing.
Dito sa Pilipinas will update this story when Fermin or Villamor issue a statement or when the NBI acts on the complaint.
