Legal counsel for actresses Michelle Dee and Rhian Ramos has issued a firm denial of allegations linking their clients to an illegal detention and torture complaint reportedly filed before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The statement was sent to The Philippine STAR amid growing public attention surrounding the controversy.
According to Atty. Maggie Abraham-Garduque, counsel for Dee and Ramos, the actresses, has yet to receive an official copy of the complaint allegedly filed against them. “Our clients have not received a copy of the complaint allegedly filed against them before the NBI. They will answer as soon as they receive the copy of said complaint,” the lawyer said, stressing that due process requires formal notice before any response can be made.
The complaint, as cited in news reports, was supposedly filed by Rhian Ramos’ personal driver, identified as Mr. Baro, who accused Dee, Ramos, and former beauty queen Samantha Panlilio of serious illegal detention and torture. However, the actresses’ legal team categorically rejected these accusations.
“As far as our client is concerned, there is no incident of illegal detention that happened as Mr. Baro was a resident of the condo, being the driver of Rhian,” Atty. Abraham-Garduque explained. This clarification, the lawyer said, directly contradicts claims that the complainant was unlawfully restrained.
The statement also pointed to a previous legal dispute involving Mr. Baro, which the counsel believes may have motivated the filing of the new complaint. “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,” the lawyer disclosed.
Given this background, the legal team questioned the intent behind the alleged illegal detention case. “Thus, our clients cannot think of any reason for initiating this complaint but a leverage and vindictive suit to said qualified theft case,” Atty. Abraham-Garduque added.
Earlier reports noted that statements from the camp of Michelle Dee and Rhian Ramos had already been released to address the issue, reiterating their position that the accusations are baseless. The actresses, through counsel, maintain their willingness to cooperate with authorities once formally notified.
As the matter awaits official documentation and further action from the NBI, Dee and Ramos continue to deny any wrongdoing, asserting that the complaint is retaliatory in nature and unsupported by facts.