Actor Tony Labrusca was charged with two counts of acts of lasciviousness and aggravated physical injuries with the Makati City fiscal office on Friday. The actor’s lawyer appealed not to judge his client immediately.
In the statement, the complaints were related to the alleged incident that took place on January 16, in which the actor allegedly molested a woman, and a man was strangled.
The victim said that Tony Labrusca molested her twice when the actor allegedly lowered her spaghetti straps to her chest and forced her to sit on his lap.
The victim is a friend of businessman Drake Dustin Ibay, who is a witness in the case.
Ibay’s brother also filed a complaint that Tony Labrusca allegedly strangled him.
According to Atty. Regie Tongol, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, said four witnesses saw Tony “to have actively sought alcohol to embolden himself.”
“[T]hat is why the charges were aggravated by his intentional intoxication,” Tongol said in a separate statement.
Tongon added that as a foreigner and public figure, the actor should not abuse women.
“My clients hope that this case would encourage women and anyone who have been victims of abuses by public figures… to not be afraid to stand up and be heard,” said Tongol.
Tony Labrusca faces acts of lasciviousness, assault complaints
Meanwhile, Tony’s lawyer, Atty Joji Alonso, said they had already received information about the complaint.
However, they have not yet received a copy of the complaint affidavits, so they will not comment for now.
“We call the public to be mindful of casting judgment based on mere allegations and unfounded claims,” said Alonso in an Instagram post.
On January 3, 2019, shortly after landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Labrusca reportedly yelled curses at Bureau of Immigration officers after they stamped his passport for a 30-day stay only (the maximum visa-free stay in the Philippines for US passport holders).
Labrusca was using his American passport at that time and had no work visa. However, he mistakenly believed that he was covered by the Balikbayan Program’s one-year visa-free stay.
Labrusca was widely criticized for the incident, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. suggested his deportation. The following day, Labrusca apologized to the immigration officers and admitted that he did not know the full details of the Balikbayan Program.
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