Beauty queen Michelle Dee and actress Rhian Ramos are facing accusations of serious illegal detention and torture filed by Ramos’ personal driver before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The complainant, identified in reports as 40-year-old Bonifacio Tibayan Baro, went to the NBI in Pasay City along with the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) on Wednesday, Jan. 28, to formally file complaints against Ramos and Dee, along with former beauty queen Samantha Panlilio.
The driver alleged that he was illegally detained and repeatedly tortured after being accused of stealing private and sensitive photographs.
Baro detailed the alleged events to local authorities, claiming that it all began on Jan. 17 when he was “forcibly taken” by Ramos, along with two bodyguards, into the actress’s condominium unit in Makati.
There, he claimed he was beaten after being accused of stealing an ang pao supposedly containing the sensitive photos. He insisted then that he did not steal the item and that it was not in his possession.
“Pag-uwi ko po ng alas tres ng madaling araw, kami ni [actress]… Pagbaba ko po ng gamit, bigla akong hinawakan at binugbog ako sa loob… Nagmamakaawa po ako, at binubugbog pa rin nila ako,” Baro said, as quoted by The Philippine STAR in its report.
The following day, on Jan. 18, he alleged that the two beauty queens arrived at the condominium unit and also assaulted him. Baro alleged that the beatings were carried out multiple times, not only by the bodyguards but also by Ramos, Dee and Panlilio themselves.
During this period, Bonifacio allegedly attempted to end his life by jumping from the 39th floor of the condominium. His attempt, however, failed after he got caught on an electrical cable, causing him to fall to the 25th floor.
He then proceeded to the building’s lobby but was stopped by Ramos’ bodyguards and taken back to the 39th floor, where he claimed that he was assaulted by the actresses and bodyguards.
In his statement, as quoted by STAR, Bonifacio claimed that Dee allegedly stripped him, doused him with rubbing alcohol and forced him to perform acts against his will.
“Dumating ‘yung [beauty queen], pinarusahan niya ako… Hinubaran niya ako, binuhusan niya ako ng alcohol sa katawan, tapos insprayan niya ako. Natanong ko siya, ‘Ma’am, ano po gagawin natin?’ Sabi niya, ‘Maglaro tayo,’” he said.
“Hinubad niya sa akin, wala akong damit… Inispreyan niya mata ko tapos ginanyan niya ng dalawang daliri niya… Hinawakan niya kamay ko, ipinasok niya sa dalawang.. Dito niya, saka dito. Tapos ‘yung kamay ko idiniin sa leeg niya.”
Ramos’ bodyguards allegedly continued to beat him and even forced him to drink his own urine.
“Ilang beses akong tumumba sa upuan, pero kahit anong makaawa ko wala na ako sa kanila. Tapos noong umalis si Ma’am may puntahan siya, tuloy-tuloy pa rin akong binugbog ng mga bodyguard niya. Mga kasama ko sa trabaho yan sila, hindi po sila naawa sa akin,” he said.
Baro claimed that he was illegally detained inside the condominium for three days, during which he was repeatedly beaten and interrogated over the alleged theft.
On Jan. 19, Baro claimed that Ramos and Dee later brought him to the police over the alleged theft. He said that the case was eventually dismissed and that he was released after authorities found no evidence proving that he stole the photos.
While the two actresses have yet to issue their own statements regarding the incident, their legal counsel, Atty. Maggie Abraham-Garduque denied the allegations and questioned the motive behind the driver’s filing of the case in a statement sent to The Philippine STAR.
According to the actresses’ lawyer, Dee and Ramos have not yet released formal responses as they have not received a copy of the complaint filed against them.
“As far as our client is concerned, there is no incident of illegal detention happened as Mr. Baro was a resident of the condo, being the driver of Rhian,” said Atty. Maggie Abraham-Garduque.
“The last incident of our clients with Mr. Baro was when Michelle Dee filed a criminal case for qualified theft against him which he admitted and he even returned some of the items to Michelle. Thus, our clients cannot think of any reason for initiating this complaint but a leverage and vindictive suit to said qualified theft case,” the statement read.
