Derek Ramsay may face 12 years in jail if proven guilty

TV5 star-actor Derek Ramsay may face 12 years behind bars if it’s proven that he has indeed violated the provisions of  Republic Act 9262; an act penalizing Violent Acts Against Women and Children. This was reportedly disclosed by Atty. JV Bautista, a human rights lawyer and a former party-list congressman.

As reported by Abante, being a human rights lawyer, Atty. Bautista is also an expert on the provisions covered by the RA 9262.

According to Atty. Bautista, the law punishes psychological abuse committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, or even former wife, or with whom he has a common child, which  is likely to result in emotional, psychological harm or suffering, or even economic abuse.

Earlier in August, it was reported that the actor’s estranged wife Mary Christine Jolly has filed charges against the actor for violating Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti- Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.

In the complaint affidavit which, according to reports, was submitted on June 27, 2014 at the Makati Prosecutor’s Office, Jolly stated she is still legally married to Ramsay and that they have an 11-year old son named Austin Gabriel.

Along with the affidavit, Jolly have also submitted their marriage certificate as well as the birth certificate of their son, as evidence that she and Ramsay were married on April 3, 2002 in Balagtas, Bulacan, and that a year after, Jolly gave birth to their son.

Jolly claimed that she and her son suffered from repeated emotional, psychological and economic abuse during her 12 years of marriage to Derek.

“Matagal nang nagsinungaling sa publiko si Derek, at kami ang apek­tado, kaming mag-ina. Masakit sa akin bilang asawa, ngunit wala na rin naman ito sa akin. Pero, sa aking anak na dumadanas ngayon ng sikolohikal na abuso mula mismo sa kanyang ama, hinding-hindi ko ito mapapayagan (Derek has been lying for so long, and my son and I are the ones affected. I’m hurt as a wife, but I don’t mind it anymore. But for my son who’s gravely affected by this psychological abuse from his own father, I just can’t let it go on…),” Jolly said in a report by Abante.

Ramsay, on his part, filed a  counter-affidavit at the Makati Prosecutor’s Office on August 20, along with his lawyer, Atty. Joji Alonso; whereby he claimed that Jolly physically harmed him and even planned to abort their son, Austin Gabriel.

He admitted marrying Jolly in 2002 and being a father to 11-year-old Austin Gabriel. But it was only after a DNA test in 2011 that he was able to confirm his paternity, and since then he claimed he had supported his son financially.

“I agreed to exclusively cover all expenses pertaining to the education of my son… I committed to answer for the living expenses of my son, giving a monthly contribution of $1,000,” Derek said in his affidavit.

He claimed having given a total of P8 million pesos for child support; as backed up by deposit slips and all the support he has extended to his son Austin.

Together with her lawyers, Jolly is  expected to submit a reply to Derek’s counter-affidavit on September 4.