Jude Bacalso faces grave slander case; to post bail

Jude Bacalso will post bail and file a motion for reconsideration after a Cebu City court ordered her arrest over a Grave Slander by Deed case filed by a wait staff.

This is in relation to a misgendering incident that happened between Bacalso and a wait staff in a restaurant in Cebu City in July 2024.

Speaking to GMA News Online on Wednesday, the Cebu-based personality and LGBTQ+ community member said that her legal counsel has obtained a copy of the resolution from the prosecutor's office following a preliminary investigation.

"We found out just today that all of the 5 cases (Unjust Vexation, Grave Scandal, Grave Coercion, Grave Threats and Slight Illegal Detention) that were lodged against me were all dismissed, all in keeping with our narration of the facts," said Bacalso.

Per Bacalso, the resolution recommended the filing of Grave Slander by Deed, which was not included in the original docket.

"Since we were just informed of this, we have not had the time to craft a response to it. We are filing a motion for reconsideration for this new case," she said.

As for the warrant of arrest against her, she explained that the one issued to her was "not for a conviction for a crime, but for the court to have jurisdiction over my person so that we may properly address this new development."

Bacalso added that her camp is now processing all the necessary documents for her bail.

Local media outlets in Cebu reported Tuesday that the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 6 issued a warrant of arrest for Grave Slander by Deed against Bacalso, with bail set at P18,000.

The arraignment and pre-trial conference are scheduled on January 23.

Bacalso came under fire last July after a photo of her allegedly berating a wait staff for calling her "sir" made the rounds on social media. The photo showed her seated while the wait staff was standing.

Bacalso explained to GMA News Online after the incident that she asked the waiter if he wanted to sit down and did not demand him to remain standing.

She acknowledged it was an honest mistake on the waiter's part when he called her "sir" and it was while she was "giving gender sensitivity information" to him when a netizen snapped a photo of them.

She also apologized to the restaurant's staff following the incident although the waiter involved was not present at the time.

Meanwhile, the restaurant stood by its employee involved in the incident.

— CDC/LA, GMA Integrated News