On February 1, Agot Isidro, Angel Locsin, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and other celebrities rallied behind the Kapamilya actor Enchong Dee after he clarified he wasn’t evading arrest.
On his Instagram account, Dee posted a statement from Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose Law Firm refuting claims that the actor tried to evade arrest when the authorities went to his home.
The statement reads: “Contrary to certain media reports, Enchong Dee has been attending to his professional and personal commitments in the past couple of days and has not made any attempts to evade arrest.
“More importantly, as a show of respect for the rule of law, he voluntarily submitted himself to the authorities and posted bail.
“Moving forward, Enchong will take all the appropriate and necessary legal steps to defend himself against the pending lawsuit.”
Dee also captioned the statement with the Chinese New Year greeting, ‘Gong Xi Fa Cai,’ with three heart emojis reminiscent of ABS-CBN’s colors.
As a result, celebrities commented on his Instagram post to support the actor amid his legal battle.
The other celebrities who rallied behind Erich Gonzales, Mylene Dizon, Eula Valdes, Ria Atayde, Cherry Pie Picache, and his brother AJ Dee.
Most of them sent praying hands emojis or heart emojis as a show of support to the actor.
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Dee voluntarily submitted himself to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on January 31 and posted bail of Php 48,000. The actor’s surrender sparked a call to action to decriminalize cyber libel in the country.
Dapat nang i-decriminalize ang libel para di magamit ng mga balat-sibuyas na politiko, at isulong ang party-list reforms para matiyak na ang mga kinatawan ay tunay na magmumula sa disadvantaged sectors. Yakap, Kapamilya! #101KAPAMILYAPartylist. https://t.co/K6Y5thsYFb
— Jerry B. Grácio (@JerryGracio) January 31, 2022
Libel should really be decriminalized.
Onion-skinned public officials always weaponize it against people who criticize them.
Public office is a public trust and all public officials are considered as properties of the public.
Huwag kang papasok sa pulitika kung pikon ka. https://t.co/WjW0j0qhGh
— Justin Dizon (@iamjustindizon) January 31, 2022
#FreeDee https://t.co/TQQ2fiEgM0
— Nico Quejano (@nicoquejano) January 31, 2022
All over the world, libel is being decriminalized. Free Enchong Dee!
— iamhirokitty (@iamhirokitty) January 31, 2022
Decriminalize libel! https://t.co/xe8O4b9PNz
— panalo siya (matalino si abyel) (@agitnaemman) January 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/aynihatesu/status/1488025643241840643
Earlier, Rep. Claudine Diana Bautista-Lim (Drivers United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights (DUMPER) Party-list) filed a Php 1 Billion cyber-libel case against Dee.
The legal complaint stemmed from Dee’s deleted tweet, which accused the representative of using the money of commuters and drivers to fund her extravagant wedding.
“The money for commuters and drivers went to her wedding. Let’s not prolong this conversation and don’t say otherwise.”
Bautista-Lim also filed libel cases to several other personalities such as Isidro, Ogie Diaz, and Pokwang, but only Dee got indicted.
