Court clears Willie Revillame of faking TV network’s documents

MANILA, Philippines–Noting that varying signatures do not mean a forgery, the Quezon City prosecutors’ office has junked the falsification raps against TV host Willie Revillame filed by his former employer.

Willie Revillame. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

In a resolution issued in December, the TV5 host was cleared of the charges of allegedly faking commercial documents lodged by ABS-CBN, his former network.

Assistant city prosecutor Jaime Villanueva said there was no probable cause to indict Revillame and two others for forging the comedian’s signature in a surety bond.

“Mere variance of the signatures cannot be considered as conclusive proof that the same were forged,” Villanueva said in his nine-page resolution.

The complaint was for “use of falsified documents in a judicial proceeding through falsification of commercial documents and falsification of public document by a notary public.”

The complaint was filed by ABS-CBN through its chief legal officer, Atty. Maximilian Uy, in March 2011.

Aside from Revillame, the other respondents were notary public Romeo Monfort and Reynaldo Fong of the Asia Insurance (Phils) Corporation, which issued the surety bond.

Villanueva, in the ruling dated Dec. 20, 2011, said a forgery of a signature “cannot be presumed” as alleged by ABS-CBN.

The investigating prosecutor added that an allegation of forgery must be proven by “clear, positive and convincing evidence” and that the burden of proof lies on the accuser.

ABS-CBN alleged that Revillame, with the help of several others, had faked his signature on a P426 million surety bond submitted to a Quezon City court in 2010.

Judge Luisito Cortez of Regional Trial Court Branch 84 was then hearing the civil case the TV host had filed for the judicial termination of his contract with his old network.

The P426 million bond represents the amount of damages that ABS-CBN is asking in its countercharge against Revillame.

The bond will answer for any damage the network may have suffered pending the resolution of the cases and for the airing of Revillame’s then new program, “Willing Willie,” on TV5.

In its complaint, ABS-CBN claimed that Revillame’s signature on the surety bond differed from other samples such as documents he submitted to the court.

The TV host, who is locked in several legal battles with ABS-CBN, explained that his signature was different because he signed the bond hastily and that he can sign two to three different sets of signatures.

Revillame argued that his signatures can still be considered “genuine signatures” despite the lack of “similarities.”

Fong and Monfort denied the falsification charges against them as well.

Villanueva pointed out that the TV host’s assertion is “too compelling to be ignored” and that the varying styles of signing his name do not mean that the signatures are not his.

“We hold that no criminal intent or malice can be ascribed to Revillame behind the execution and submission of his bond, even in the assumption that the signatures are not his,” he added.

Villanueva said Revillame had vouched for the validity of his bond and his willingness to comply and honor his obligations if required by the court.

“There can be no situation by which to support even the probability that he will later on discredit the bond… by reason of his different signatures…,” the resolution read.

The investigating prosecutor added that both Monfort, the notary public and Fong, the AIPC signee, said they were present when Revillame signed it at the Diamond Hotel in Malate, Manila on Oct. 27, 2010.