Robin Padilla is suing an online basher for libel. The action star filed charges against Twitter user “Krizzy” at the National Bureau of Investigation’s Cybercrime Division on Thursday. He was accompanied by his lawyer Philip Jurado.
The accused, in comments on a photo posted by Padilla on his Instagram account on March 9 of a shaded ballot, brought up Padilla’s past conflicts with the law and even went as far as saying that Padilla should tell his kids he is an ex-convict.
“Krizzy” likewise stated that Padilla should be thrown back into jail for violating COMELEC election rules.
“This is a clear violation of election law. Throw him in jail!” Krizzy wrote.
The Twitter rampage caused Padilla’s daughter, Kylie, to fear her father would go to jail for posting a picture of a shaded sample ballot.
“Are you going to jail for this?” Kylie had asked her father, who was then forced to explain that he had been stripped of his right to vote, and could therefore, not have gotten hold of an official ballot.
“She asked me, ‘Why can’t you vote?’ I told her, ‘Because I’m an ex-convict. I was granted pardon but that did not reinstate my right to vote,” Robin is quoted in an article by Aie Balagtas See on the Inquirer. Below are excerpts from Yee’s article.
“That’s very painful to me. You see, I even sent my kids to Australia just to erase that ex-convict tag but now it’s coming out again,” Padilla added.
Robin was convicted to 21 years imprisonment in 1994 for illegal possession of firearms—a decision that was upheld by the Court of Appeals in 1995. Robin began serving his jail term two months later. However, his sentence was shortened to 8-10 years by the Supreme Court in 1997. He was granted conditional pardon the following year.
Next: Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla says she will help convict Robin if guilty
Unfounded claims
Padilla, a supporter of Duterte, maintains that the photo he posted on his Instagram account was a mere expression of his desire to vote since his conviction prevents him from ever voting again.
The post has since been deleted. In an official statement also posted on Instagram, Jurado said that Padilla did not break any laws as the photo in question is that of a sample ballot.
A photo posted by robin padilla (@robinhoodpadilla) on
Padilla’s wife, actress Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, also took to Instagram to defend her husband, daring anyone to come out with evidence that Padilla voted.
“[P]eople should be more careful. they shouldn’t assume! IT WAS A SAMPLE BALLOT!!! we call this the Trillanes Syndrome… no evidence all talk. if anyone can prove that Robin Padilla went to a precinct, voted and took photos of his ballot I will help you convict him. I am that sure that Robin didn’t do that… why? because ROBIN PADILLA CAN NOT VOTE!!!!” an impassioned Mariel wrote.
A photo posted by mariel padilla (@marieltpadilla) on
Next: Krizzy isn’t backing down
Note backing down
Meanwhile, Krizzy did not back down. In a series of Twitter posts, the accused questioned why she has been singled out when so many others also reacted to the post. She also said she was merely reacting to the visual post.
But, according to Jurado, Krizzy’s reaction to Padilla’s photo was done to defame his client.
“Post/tweet was clearly made without proper research and for the sole purpose of defaming our client supposedly because he supported a candidate which Miss Krizzy (@krizzy_kalerqui) does not support,” Jurado said in the three-page complaint.
According to NBI-CCD chief Roland Aguto, they will first have to establish Krizzy’s identity. In the meantime, the agency is waiting for Padilla’s sworn statement.
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Also read: Robin and Mariel Padilla won’t force daughter to choose religion when she grows up
