CRISTY Fermin, albeit shocked at the headlines about the arrest order against her, asserted she will post bail and will face in court the libel case filed by Bea Alonzo.
An arrest warrant was earlier issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 93 against the showbiz columnist and her online show co-hosts Rommel Villamor and Wendell Alvarez. The court set the bail at P48,000 for each of the TV hosts.
When sought for comment on the matter on Wednesday, July 30, Fermin told Bandera that she and her legal counsel were not yet aware of it as they have yet to receive any information from the court.
Nonetheless, she said she and her team would immediately process the bail on Thursday, July 31.
“Wala kaming alam. Sinabi ko ngayon kay Rommel na may warrant kami at babayaran. Alam mo naman ‘yun hindi sanay, sila ni Wendell. Ako lang ang sanay na,” she was quoted as saying.
In a separate statement to “Frontline sa Umaga,” Fermin likewise said she will be posting bail while underscoring that libel is already part of her job.
Alonzo lodged a libel case against Fermin in May 2024, saying she was a victim of the “false, malicious, and damaging information” the latter broadcasted via her online show.
At the time, Alonzo had just broken off her engagement with actor Dominic Roque — a matter that was discussed by Fermin on her online programs.
Fermin, in her program, also allegedly spoke about Alonzo’s supposed failure to file her taxes, as well as the labor case supposedly filed against her by her former driver.
“[Bea] asserted her right to proceed with filing these criminal cases against the individuals responsible for making all of these damaging statements against her,” Alonzo’s legal counsel said.
In response to this, Fermin asserted their reports were done “fairly,” even advising the actress to not be balat sibuyas (overly sensitive).
Aside from Fermin, the actress also filed separate libel cases against Ogie Diaz and an unnamed individual who allegedly pretended to speak on behalf of the actress. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
