Talent manager Annabelle Rama cleared of cyber libel
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has reversed and set aside a resolution of the Las Piñas City Prosecutor’s Office that found probable cause to indict former actress and now talent manager Annabelle Rama-Gutierrez for cyber libel, which was filed by former actor and producer Jake Joson.
This was after the DOJ, in a five-page resolution promulgated on November 21, 2022, granted Rama-Gutierrez’s petition for review challenging the March 30, 2022 resolution of the Las Piñas City Prosecutor’s Office.
“Wherefore, premises considered, the Petition for Review of respondent-appellant Anabelle Rama-Gutierrez is granted, and the Resolution dated 30 March 2022 of the Office of the City Prosecutor of Las Piñas City is reversed and set aside.”
“The Office of the City Prosecutor of Las Piñas City is hereby ordered to withdraw the corresponding Information filed with the Regional Trial Court Branch 253 of Las Piñas City,” the resolution, signed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, read in part.
In granting Rama-Gutierrez’s petition for review, the resolution stated that “the elements of cyber libel have not been fully met and [the venue has] been improperly laid.”
In his complaint, Joson claimed that Rama-Gutierrez allegedly called him a “thief” for allegedly stealing P140 million from “Pambansang Kamao” and former senator Manny Pacquiao.
Rama-Gutierrez made the defaming accusations thru her Instagram post last October 20, Joson said.
The Las Piñas Prosecutor’s Office, in a resolution dated July 25, 2022, found probable cause to charge Rama-Gutierrez in court for violating Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act (RA) No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“After a careful analysis of the evidence filed by the parties and their respective arguments, the undersigned found a probable cause to indict herein respondent [Rama-Gutierrez] for violation of Article 353 of the revised penal code in relation to section 4 (C) 4 of republic act No. 10175,” the resolution said.
“Respondent’s allegations that she was not the one who made the subject commentaries against the complainant smacks of a denial which is a self-serving defense which is not enough to overturn our findings that she may have committed the crime charged against her,” it added.
