Cristy Fermin faces arrest warrant in Bea Alonzo case

Entertainment columnist Cristy Fermin has been issued an arrest warrant by a Quezon City court in connection with the libel case filed by actress Bea Alonzo. 

According to reports, Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 93 Presiding Judge Cherry Chiara Hernando ruled there was “probable cause to hold the accused for trial.”

A P48,000 bail was set for Fermin and her co-hosts, Rommel Villamor and Wendell Alvarez.

In May 2024, Alonzo filed separate cyber libel complaints at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against Fermin, Ogie Diaz, and their co-hosts.

At that time, the actress ended her engagement to actor Dominic Roque, which Fermin had talked about on her shows. Roque also filed a separate case against the columnist.

The complaint stated that Alonzo became a victim of “false, malicious, and damaging information.”

Alonzo's lawyer, Atty. Joey Garcia, stated that the three cases were filed because of defamatory comments made against the actress during the defendants' online programs.

“This is the very first time that Bea has pursued this legal action despite her more than two decades in the entertainment industry,” Garcia said, adding that the actress endured months of defamatory statements from Fermin and Diaz.

“But there is always a limit and now is the time for definitive legal action,” Garcia said.

In response to the complaint, Fermin stressed that their respective vlogs were not designed to focus on the local star, but rather to report on both positive and negative stories concerning "public figures." 

"Bilang pampublikong pigura po sila ay kami naman po 'yung nagtatawid ng mga balita tungkol sa kanila. Hindi po namin maaaring punahin si Bea Alonzo lamang para kumita ang aming mga vlogs," Fermin explained.

"Mali po 'yun. Lahat ng mga kwento ay inilalatag po namin at depende na lamang 'yan sa pagtanggap ng mga personalidad na aming tinatalakay," she continued.

Fermin ended her statement with "See you in court."