ROXAS City — A Parañaque City court has ordered the arrest of a Roxas City-based radio broadcaster and her husband after finding probable cause to proceed with an estafa case, adding to the legal troubles already confronting the couple.
The Metropolitan Trial Court of the National Capital Judicial Region, Branch 78, issued arrest warrants against India Lavapiez and Jay Lavapiez under Criminal Case No. 26-1174 for alleged violation of Article 315, Paragraph 1(b) of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes estafa involving deceit or abuse of confidence resulting in financial damage.
Presiding Judge Maria Luisa M. Narvadez directed law enforcement officers to arrest the couple and bring them before the Metropolitan Trial Court of the National Capital Judicial Region, Branch 78 for appropriate proceedings.
The court fixed bail at P18,000 for each accused, which may be posted either by the accused or through a bondsman.
Acceptable forms of bail include corporate surety under Section 10, Rule 114; property bond under Sections 11 to 13, Rule 114; cash deposit under Section 14, Rule 114; or recognizance under Section 15, Rule 114.
The warrant also directs arresting officers to comply with the Rules on the Use of Body-Worn Cameras by utilizing at least one body-worn camera and a secondary recording device during the execution of the arrest warrant.
The warrant, dated June 29, 2026, was signed by Presiding Judge Narvadez and carried Control No. MeTC541197247UGJ, with copies transmitted to Camp Crame and police station commanders on July 13, 2026.
The estafa case is the latest in a series of legal cases involving India Lavapiez.
A Joint Resolution dated May 22, 2026, approved by Associate Provincial Prosecutor and Officer-in-Charge Christopher George Orola of the Capiz Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, found probable cause to indict Lavapiez for cyber libel following an evaluation of her radio broadcasts and Facebook livestreams.
In the 36-page Joint Resolution covering NPS Docket Nos. VI-06-INV-26C-00103 and VI-06-INV-26C-00104, Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Cherie Lyn Villa stated that India Lavapiez’s broadcasts and livestreams subjected former Sigma, Capiz councilor Cindy Grace Bermejo-Francisco to repeated personal attacks and accusations.
Earlier, on March 11, 2026, the Regional Trial Court, Branch 28 of the National Capital Judicial Region also issued an arrest warrant against India for four counts of libel and cyber libel, signed by Presiding Judge Sheryll C. Dolendo-Tulabing.
Records further showed that on Aug. 1, 2024, the Regional Trial Court, Branch 19 of the Sixth Judicial Region likewise issued an arrest warrant against India for four counts of cyber libel, signed by Presiding Judge Esperanza Isabel E. Poco-Deslate.
India and Jay Lavapiez are broadcasters of the Roxas City-based radio station Baskog Radyo.
They could not be reached for comment as of this writing./PN
