Willie Revillame’s camp addresses CA arrest order

Maureen Marie Belmonte

<div><img src='' alt='102415-WILLIE.jpg' width='400' height='290' align='left' border='0'>Willie Revillame’s counsel Atty. Leonard S. de Vera through a statement clarified recent reports claiming that the host “refused to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the court and that a warrant of arrest should be issued against him.”</div><div><br/></div><div>'Accordingly, it is unnecessary for the trial court to issue a warrant of arrest against Mr. Revillame. As part of Mr. Revillame's right to due process, he appealed the trial court's finding of probable cause against him before the Court of Appeals by way of Petition for Certiorari,” the statement read.</div><div><br/></div><div>'However, the resolution of this appeal remained pending for 2 years, until the Court of Appeals ruled last September 7, 2015,' it added.</div><div><br/></div><div><a href='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/47117/court-of-appeals-orders-willie-revillames-arrest-over-child-abuse-case/'>Willie’s case was recently brought to light again after the Court of Appeals affirmed the Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s decision to issue a warrant arrest for the host-actor in relation to his child abuse case in 2011.</a></div><div><br/></div><div>The CA also reiterated that there is probable cause for Willie’s commission of the crime when he had a young boy mimic dance moves of a “macho-dancer” on his defunct show Willing Willie.</div><div><br/></div><div>To this the statement said, 'Upon the finding of probable cause by the regional trial court of Quezon City Branch 86, Mr. Revillame sought and was immediately granted bail in the amount of P80,000.00 in September 4, 2013 or more than two years ago.”</div><div><br/></div><div>De Vera argued that since Willie was already granted bail the RTC’s arrest warrant is “unnecessary.”</div><div><br/></div><div>'As part of Mr. Revillame's right to due process, he appealed the trial court's finding of probable cause against him before the Court of Appeals by way of Petition for Certiorari. However, the resolution of this appeal remained pending for 2 years, until the Court of Appeals ruled last September 7, 2015,' the statement explained.</div><div></div><div>De Vera likewise commented on the reporting of the CA ruling, calling the reports “regrettable and are being misinterpreted by certain quarters” mainly because of his new show’s success.</div><div><br/></div><div>'It is evident that these reports are intended merely to taint and besmirch Mr. Revillame and his new show in the Kapuso network,” he said. “Mr. Revillame has the Constitutional right to be presumed innocent while his case is being heard by the court.'</div><div><br/></div><div>He claimed that there is no evidence that validates Willie’s guilt on the charges against him and added that 'Mr. Revillame remains confident that he will be vindicated as he had absolutely no criminal intent when he invited the child contestant to showcase his talent. He had done nothing to degrade, debase, or demean the dignity of the child.'</div><div><br/></div><div>Meanwhile, showbiz host Cristy Fermin in her recent column on Bandera claimed that Willie has donated P10 million to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after Typhoon Yolanda hit the country in 2013.</div><div><br/></div><div>“Kahit kinasuhan siya nu’n ng ahensiya ay hindi ‘yun pinersonal ni Willie, ang DSWD pa rin ang pinili niyang pagkatiwalaan para sa napakalaking tulong na ibinigay niya sa mga nasalanta nating kababayan sa Leyte at Samar,” she wrote.</div><div><br/></div><div>Willie’s camp however has yet to comment on Cristy’s claim.</div>

Willie Revillame’s counsel claims that the reporting on the CA decision is being ‘misinterpreted’ by certain quarters.

Willie Revillame’s camp addresses CA arrest order | PUSH.COM.PH