Ana Capri eventually filed formal charges of sexual harassment against a still-unknown attacker inside the Palace Pool Club in Taguig City last April 3, for allegedly grabbing her behind and slapping her.
The Authorities are still trying to identify the unnamed man through the CCTV footage and also conducting an inquiry from the management of the said club to shed light on the case.
Ana Capri and her counsel are pressing for charges of slander by deed, physical injury and acts of lasciviousness against the alleged assailant labelled as one “John Doe.”
The actress also filed a distinct charge against one of the security officers of the club presumably for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1829 or obstruction of justice based on the action of the security officer.
In her previous statement, Ana said: “This case is not only about me, but about the plight of all women whose voices were buried and obscured by politics and money of powerful people protecting their financial interests.”
Ana Capri claimed that the unknown man grabbed her behind while charging her mobile phone in the towel area close to the female and male toilets.
Capri feeling abused shortly after the rude gesture of the accused man, reacted to the situation by slapping him. However, the culprit slapped her right back.
She recounted that the club staff afterwards separated them and requested her to wait outside.
Apparently, the sultry actress said that the unidentified man seems to be a familiar face in the club and associated with various “VIP guests,” who was later escorted out of the club and taken into a private car.
Ana then asked the identity of the man from the club staff. Nevertheless, they declined to furnish the name presumably for privacy of information.
Subsequently, the Palace Pool Club released a statement concerning the circumstance.
“At approximately 4 a.m. of April 3, 2016 a male guest allegedly touched Ms. Ana Capri’s behind in the Palace Pool Club that made Ms. Capri slap the unnamed male. In retaliation, the unnamed male slapped Ms. Capri back. This is when the Palace security force stepped in and separated the two parties.”
“As protocol in similar situations, security separates both parties to prevent further escalation of the incident and the aggressive party, in this case the male guest, was sent out and was permanently banned from the Palace as per standard operating procedure. The palace management is willing to help Ms. Capri and the authorities if its cooperation is needed,” the statement said.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News on Tuesday, Capri said the club did provide CCTV footage from the night of the incident in order to aid her case. But she and her camp alleged that the footage was “incomplete.”
Capri’s counsel revealed that some parts of the CCTV footage are missing: “May kulang doon sa CCTV footage na pinadala. Iyong supposedly pinakita iyong friends nitong sex offender, ayun ang medyo nawala. Pati yung may mga bisita na nilapitan si [Capri], kinausap siya, iyon ang nawala rin.”
Ana Capri, who attested to have been deeply distressed by the harrowing ordeal, has also appealed to presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte and everyone who can be of help to identify the alleged abuser.
Ana said in her earlier statement: “I am deeply disheartened by the fact that there are people who, even until now, refuse to reveal the identity of the person who harassed and assaulted me three weeks ago just because he is supposedly a VIP, or a guest of a VIP, of an elite club.”
