A jaw-dropping complaint has landed at the National Bureau of Investigation, pitting a personal driver and assistant against some of the country’s most recognizable female stars, and the allegations read like a dark thriller unfolding behind the doors of a luxury Makati condominium.
In a sworn account now circulating in legal circles, the driver claims he was physically assaulted, tortured, and illegally detained by an actress and two beauty queens, naming Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee, another beauty queen, and actress Rhian Ramos as the alleged perpetrators.
The incident, according to the complaint, supposedly erupted on January 17 after he was accused of stealing private photos belonging to the actress.
The driver alleges that what began as an accusation quickly turned violent. He claimed he was beaten repeatedly despite denying possession of the photos, describing chilling details that include alcohol being sprayed directly into his eyes and fingers forcefully poking them as part of the alleged abuse. Bruises and visible injuries were later presented as supposed proof of the encounter.
What has fueled public shock is his claim that the ordeal did not end in a single night. The complainant said he was allegedly held inside the condominium unit for three days, with two male bodyguards present while the three women supposedly inflicted harm on him. At one point, he claimed desperation pushed him to attempt an escape that nearly cost him his life.
“I jumped from the 39th floor but managed to hold onto a rope. I was brought back by condominium security,” he said, a statement that has raised eyebrows and questions about what really transpired inside the high-rise.
After the incident, the driver was brought to the Makati Police Station and charged with qualified theft. That case, however, was later dismissed by the prosecutor’s office, and he was released on January 22, adding another twist to an already tangled narrative.
The accused have strongly pushed back. Atty. Maggie Abraham-Garduque, legal counsel for Michelle Dee and Rhian Ramos, said it was Dee who first went to authorities, filing a criminal complaint for qualified theft against the driver.
“The last incident of our clients with Mr. … was when Michelle Dee filed a criminal case for qualified theft against him, which he admitted, and he even returned some of the items,” the lawyer said.
Garduque also flatly denied any claim of illegal detention, insisting that the driver was staying in the condominium as part of his employment arrangement.
“As far as our client is concerned, there was no incident of illegal detention since Mr. … was a resident of the condominium,” she added.
The lawyer noted that her clients have yet to receive an official copy of the complaint filed before the NBI and said they will respond in detail once it is formally served.
“Our clients have not received a copy of the complaint allegedly filed against them. They will answer once they receive it,” Garduque said.
Adding to the controversy, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption confirmed that the driver sought their help in pursuing the case, giving the allegations another layer of institutional backing. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to get the side of the other beauty queen named in the complaint.
As the claims and counterclaims collide, the case has ignited intense public chatter, dragging pageant royalty and a prime-time actress into a scandal that threatens to blur the line between celebrity glamour and a grim legal battle. For now, the truth remains locked inside competing narratives, with investigators left to decide which version will ultimately hold up under scrutiny.
