One of the country’s most popular fashion and gossip blogger, Michael Sy Lim, the owner of the blog “Fashion Pulis” was arrested on Tuesday by authorities over a libel complaint filed against him by the camp of the controversial model Deniece Cornjeo who was previously involved with the Vhong Navarro incident.
According to the statement released by Police Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin, the Fashion Pulis blogger was arrested at around 11:30 AM by elements of Women and Child Protection Unit on L.P. Leviste Street at Barangay (village) Bel-Air in Makati City.
“He was arrested by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by Hon. Marie Claire Victoria Mabutas-Sordan, RTC Branch 95, Antipolo City under CC 15-50252 for violation of Sec. 4 (c4) of RA 10175 (libel) with Php16, 000. Bail recommended,” Jasmin said in a police report.
Right after the arrest of Michael Sy Lim, he was immediately brought to the Crime Lab Group for medical examination. The statement also added that “The arrest was conducted in response to the request of Ms. Deniece Cornejo and Atty. Ferdinand Topacio as part of the CIDG Quality Assurance Support to Victims program,” it added.
The arrest of Michael Sy Lim was confirmed by the blogger himself by a tweet he posted on Tuesday afternoon. He tweeted “Held in the CIDG office. Sad how people abuse libel to curtail press freedom.”
According to reports released by Rappler, the libel case stems from a post on Lim’s blog which contained Cornejo’s medical report which was supposedly leaked by Healthway.