DRIVERS United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights (Dumper) Partylist Representative Claudine Bautista confirmed that she has filed a cyberlibel complaint against several personalities who criticized her recent wedding.
"The anxiety, anguish, humiliation and the impact on my and my family’s reputation left us no choice but to file cases against those responsible for causing us so much grief and worry, which almost led to me losing our baby, and which adversely affected some of our constituents’ trust in us," Bautista said in a statement.
The lawmaker revealed that she filed the case against undisclosed individuals in August 2021 without publicizing it.
She said they filed changes upon her husband's "insistence and in response to the malicious allegations made against me at that time."
"While I would have preferred to be silent about this matter, my husband, like any good and loving family man, took it upon himself to seek redress from the legal system, to protect me and our family from baseless and damaging claims made against us," Bautista said.
The partylist official said she had initial reservations in pursuing the case.
But she said her husband and his lawyers pursued the case "not just because he and his family -- who value their privacy and are focused on their businesses -- were unfairly dragged into the whole issue, but also, or more so, because he saw the heavy toll that the attacks took on my health, particularly on my sensitive pregnancy."
Despite not publicizing their legal action, she revealed that she is not aware of how the media learned about the case and why it was published in several news outlets.
"However, despite this, we trust that the court will resolve this in a fair and judicious manner," the lawmaker said.
Bautista, who is eight months pregnant, said she will continue to work on her duties, especially in helping address the current Covid-19 pandemic.
The representative issued the statement after news outlets published an item reporting that Bautista filed cyberlibel charges against actor Enchong Dee.
According to entertainment website pep.ph, she is seeking “malicious” and “defamatory” statements against her via social media following her wedding to businessman Jose French Lim on February 20 this year in Balesin.
Dee earlier posted on his Twitter account, saying “The money for commuters and drivers went to her wedding. Let’s not prolong this conversation and don’t say otherwise.
“Drivers and Commuters Rep who voted NO to ABS-CBN franchise got married in a Michael Cinco gown in a lavish peony-filled ceremony in Balesin in the middle of a pandemic. How ostentatious. May vaccination drive ba sya for drivers and commuters,” he added.
The actor eventually deleted his tweet and had already issued an apology.
Bautista's wedding became controversial and drew flak on social media with netizens criticizing her for holding a “lavish” wedding while the plight of her constituents remains unaddressed amid the pandemic.
Based on news reports, several other well-known personalities such as Agot Isidro, Ogie Diaz, and Pokwang also criticized the lawmaker.