MANILA, Philippines — The camp of actress and beauty queen Michelle Dee denied accusations made by the former driver of actress Rhian Ramos, calling the claims “physically impossible.”
In a statement released during the Thursday episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” lawyer Maggie Abraham-Garduque, legal counsel for Dee and Ramos, said her client was in Iloilo at the time of the alleged incident involving torture and illegal detention.
The complaint, filed earlier this week with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), accused Dee, Ramos and another beauty queen of physical assault, torture, and illegal detention in a Makati City condominium.
“Foremost, we would like to clarify that there is no formal criminal complaint filed against our clients yet. The complaint sheet submitted by (the complainant) before the NBI is made seeking for the investigation of the NBI on this matter. It was only when a complaint was filed before the prosecutor's office that a formal criminal complaint is initiated,” Abraham-Garduque said.
She questioned the credibility of the allegations saying that based on the interviews of the complainant, his allegations of mauling and physical injuries and illegal detention is “not only physically impossible but incredible.”
“According to (the complainant), he was detained and mauled for three days starting January 17 to January 19. However, records would show that Michelle Dee was in Iloilo on January 17 and was able to go back only on the 18th. On the 19th, records likewise would show that (the complainant) was already in the Makati City Police station for inquest investigation. As a matter of procedure, he was brought to Ospital ng Makati for medical examination before incarcerated in said station. No signs of said mauling [were] seen during his medical examination,” the lawyer pointed out.
Abraham-Garduque also noted inconsistencies in the complainant’s reported injuries.
“Moreover, his allegations do not match the injuries he showed to the media. He said he was punched, kicked, slapped and his eye was likewise poked with the nails of Michelle. However, he failed to show any bruises or injury in his body, face, and eye. Contrarily, these parts of the body were clean as shown in his interviews,” she said.
She added that her clients may pursue legal action for defamation. “
We hope that with proper investigation, NBI will find that there is lack of evidence to show prima facie case for these complaints to be filed before the prosecutor's office. However, since extreme damage has already been done to the reputation of our clients, we reserve the right to file criminal cases for libel and perjury against (the complainant) for the defamatory allegations he publicly made against our clients,” the statement ended.
