Court affirms 2013 arrest order vs Willie Revillame

REVILLAME was sued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development for child abuse after he made a 6-year-old boy perform like a “macho dancer” on his game show.

THE COURT of Appeals has affirmed the 2013 order issued by the Quezon City regional trial court which found probable cause to charge and arrest TV host Willie Revillame for the child abuse and exploitation case filed by the government against the celebrity.

The case stemmed from a controversial 2011 episode of Revillame’s game show where he goaded a 6-year-old boy into performing a sexy dance for a P10,000 cash prize. The boy was later seen crying as he gyrated like a male stripper.

The incident drew widespread condemnation from the public. The Commission on Human Rights called the act “criminal” and found it disturbing that the boy’s family and the studio audience showed complicity with the TV host, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) sued Revillame for child abuse.

In a decision issued Friday, the appellate court’s 13th Division ruled that that there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of Judge Roberto Buenaventura of QC Regional Trial Court Branch 86 when he issued an arrest warrant against Revillame on 2013.

“We observe that the resolution of this case had long been delayed because of the petitioner’s (Revillame’s) refusal to submit to the trial court’s jurisdiction and his erroneous invocation of the rules in his favor,” the court said in the decision written by Justice Ma. Luisa Quijano-Padilla.

“As there is probable cause for the petitioner’s commission of a crime, his arrest and arraignment should now ensue so that this case may properly proceed to trial, where the merits of both parties’ evidence and allegations may be weighed,” it added.

The other division members, Justices Normandie Pizarro and Samuel Gaerlan, concurred in the ruling.

In the court’s view, Buenaventura did not arbitrarily issue the warrant against Revillame. The arrest order, it said, was issued after a personal evaluation of the factual circumstances that led to a belief that there was probable cause to apprehend Revillame for a criminal offense.

REVILLAME File photo

In the March 12, 2011 episode of the now defunct show “Willing Willie” on TV5, the game participants of the day were preselected by the production staff through a talent audition.

One of the participants was the 6-year-old boy whom Revillame asked to dance like a “macho dancer” or a male stripper. The game show host even tried to imitate the child’s moves.

Revillame then gave the boy P10,000 as his prize and allowed the boy to repeat his performance. He kept on teasing the boy and at one point made him dance on an elevated platform with the show’s regular dancers.

Revillame was also heard saying “Beer pa, beer pa! (More beer, please!).”

Several days later, the DSWD received complaints regarding the show, prompting it to file a complaint against Revillame in the QC Prosecutor’s Office for violation of Republic Act No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

The TV network later issued an apology and “Willing Willie,” which was hit by ad pullouts, stopped airing on April 9.

In its complaint, the DSWD said what was done to the child was demeaning and constituted psychological abuse, cruelty and emotional maltreatment.

The city prosecutor found probable cause to charge Revillame with child abuse, saying he directly participated and was responsible in committing the abuse.

On Sept. 4, 2013, the RTC issued an arrest warrant against Revillame. It denied his motion for reconsideration a month later.

According to the local court, Revillame’s contention that the dance performed by the boy was neither indecent nor obscene, and that there was no intention on his part to violate the law, are matters of defense that should be raised during the trial proper. With Inquirer Research