POLICE yesterday filed criminal charges against a singer who allegedly tried to rape a fellow entertainer.
Mabolo police charged Noven Belleza, the grand champion of ABS-CBN's "Tawag ng Tanghalan" singing competition, with rape before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor.
But due to time constraint, Belleza's inquest will continue today, said Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casiño.
Belleza is under hospital arrest after he complained of chest pains.
He was taken into custody around midnight last Sunday.
Mabolo Police Station Chief Jacinto Mandal said the alleged victim went to their station before the concert, seeking assistance.
Mandal said that it was the alleged victim's family who nabbed Belleza, through citizen's arrest, after the singer performed in the "Pusuan Mo si Vice Ganda" at the IEC Pavillion in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
He said they accompanied the alleged victim to the concert venue.
"We assisted the victim during the citizen's arrest because she was the one who really knew what happened," Mandal said.
The singer did not resist arrest.
Mandal said Belleza was not given special treatment and the latter even spent the night inside the Mabolo police detention cell.
At around 1 p.m. on Sunday, Belleza complained of chest pains and was placed under hospital arrest in Barangay Banilad.
According to initial investigation, Belleza and the alleged victim, who also participated in the “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” knew each other and were “text mates.”
The rape allegedly happened inside a condo unit in Barangay Lahug. (With GMD)