MANILA, Philippines – The lawyers of Janelle Manahan, girlfriend of slain actor Ramgen Bautista, who is now under the government's witness protection program, suspect that at least one of Ramgen’s siblings is behind the circulation on the Internet of a video purportedly showing the lovers in a sex act.
The video was apparently taken under Ramgen's direction, and shows the couple in various poses in Ramgen's bathroom.
It was not known when it was taken, or whether it is even authentic, but lawyers of Manahan warned they are looking to file charges against those found to be behind the video's uploading on the Net.
That charge can draw a jail term of from three to seven years and/or a fine not lower than P100,000.
Manahan's lawyers stressed they do not think that the circulation of the video would affect in any way the ongoing hearings on the murder charge filed by police against siblings of Ramgen - RJ and Ramona - accused of conspiring to order a hit on their older brother in a bitter dispute over money.
RJ is in police detention while Ramona has fled abroad, first to Turkey where her husband lives, and later to Cyprus.
Janelle, who was shot in the face during the November 29 attack on Ramgen and nearly died from her injuries, is deemed a crucial witness in the young actor’s murder.
The camp of Genelyn Magsaysay, mother of Ramgen and the accused, has not reacted to the circulation of the video or the suspicion that her other children were behind it.
Meanwhile, Ramgen's half-brother, Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr has asked the National Bureau of Investigation to identify and prosecute those behind the spread of the video.
Revilla requested the NBI to conduct an investigation into the matter, arrest the culprits, and prosecute them for violating Republic Act 2009 or the Anti-Voyeurism Law of 2009, which the senator co-authored.
The senator said it what was done to Ramgen was adding insult to injury. He said Ramgen was brutally murdered and need not be further insulted.
"Sobrang pambababoy ang ginagawa nila sa kapatid ko. Karumal-dumal na nga ang pagkamatay ni Ramgen, sinisira pa nila ang pagkatao," Revilla said.
He also took the cudgels for Janelle, whom he said had gone through a lot of difficulties and need not suffer further humiliation.
"Mas grabe pa ang pambababoy na ginagawa nila kay Janelle. Grabe na ang kanyang pinagdaanan, at pilit pa nilang niyuyurakan ang pagkababae nito ngayon," Bong said. (report from Interaksyon.com)
