Facebook show hosts accused of stealing Cebu City gov’t page to be arraigned April 30

CEBU, Philippines – The Regional Trial Court Branch 11 in Cebu City has set on Tuesday, April 30, the arraignment and pre-trial conference for the Cebu Updates Facebook page programs hosts accused of stealing what used to be the Cebu City government’s social media page.

The arraignment of Cebu Updates Facebook page program hosts Erwin dela Cerna and Christian Tura comes nearly a week after they were arrested and later released from detention after posting bail of P120,000 each, on April 24, for alleged violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

On February 5, Estela Grace Rosit, then-head of the Cebu City Public Information Office (PIO), filed a complaint for illegal access and computer-related identity theft before the Office of the City Prosecutor against Cebu Updates Facebook page program hosts Erwin dela Cerna and Christian Tura.

At the time, the Cebu City government claimed that Dela Cerna and Tura used the Cebu Updates page as “a tool for propaganda.” The local government also said that the page used to belong to the city’s Public Information Office (PIO). (READ: How a former Cebu City gov’t Facebook page became a ‘propaganda’ tool)

In a resolution dated March 13, Assistant City Prosecutor Lei Maurae Babatuan said that there was enough evidence to establish that the Cebu Updates page was originally created for the Cebu City government.

“After tracing the historical chain as to how the Cebu City Public Information Office came to be known by a different name Cebu Updates, there exists probable cause to indict the Respondents for Violation of Sec. 4(a), Paragraph 1 of Republic Act 1075 for Illegal Access,” a resolution from the City Prosecutor’s Office read.

While Tura and Dela Cerna claimed in their counter-affidavits that they were not administrators of the page and only show talents, Babatuan stressed that it does not change the fact that their access to the page is “without right.”

“Who gave them the permission to do so, if they did not have direct access to it? They neither denied the fact of change done to the name of Cebu City Public Information Office to Cebu Updates,” Babatuan said.

Babatuan added that there was also probable cause to indict the show hosts for computer-related identity theft for stealing the identity of the PIO, which the Cebu Updates page was originally associated with.

Release

After the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Central Visayas Regional Field Unit served the arrest warrant and detained the show hosts at Camp Sotero Cabahug in Cebu City on April 24, the Cebu Updates Facebook page released a statement.

“Samtang kining legal nga mga hagit mahimong temporaryong makababag sa atong mga paningkamot sa adbokasiya, dili kini makapakunhod sa atong determinasyon sa pagbutyag sa sayop nga binuhatan sa gobyerno,” Cebu Updates said.

(While these legal challenges may temporarily impedes our efforts towards our advocacy, this will not diminish our determination to reveal the wrongdoings of the government)

“Nagpabilin kita nga lig-on sa atong tinguha sa usa ka limpyo ug matinud-anon nga pangagamhanan, atubangan sa ka walay hibangkaagan nga administrasyon ni Michael Rama,” they added.

(We remain strong in our goal towards a clean and genuine government facing against the ruthless administration of Michael Rama.)

Rappler has reached out to Tura and Dela Cerna for more information regarding the case and their arrest but has yet to receive any reply. This article will be updated once they do. – Rappler.com