A tattoo artist in Lapu-Lapu City who identifies himself as a political critic turned himself in to the police after two warrants of arrest for cyberlibel were issued against him.
Humprey Elvira turned in at Police Station 3 on February 3, 2025.
As the processing of documents required to post bail for five counts of cyberlibel was not completed on that day, Elvira spent a night in the temporary custodial facility of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office.
Elvira admitted that though he knew of the first warrant to have been released, he did not turn himself in immediately. The copy of the warrant came out on January 30, 2025, which reads as “not bailable.”
The other copy of the warrant came out on January 31, 2025, but carries a recommended bail of P48,000.
Elvira said that despite the two warrants of arrest against him for cyberlibel, these have not dampened his spirit to speak one’s mind.
On the other hand, Lapu-Lapu City Associate City Prosecutor Marvin Boyles clarified that cyberlibel cases are bailable, and that the respondent must settle P48,000 for "each count of cyberlibel."
Regional Trial Court Branch 27 in Lapu-Lapu City that issued the warrants of arrest against Elvira did not grant GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak an on-camera interview, but off-cam it was explained to the news team that the words “not bailable” on the first warrant of arrest were determined to be a clerical error.
Correction was applied immediately to the said document, however because of the system in issuing an electronic warrant (e-warrant), the recommended bail worth P48,000 for each count of cyberlibel was not specified.
Of the five counts of cyberlibel against Elvira, four of these cases were filed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan.
The other case was filed by an employee of the City Hall assigned at the Information Technology (IT) Department.