Singer arrested for rape after Vice Ganda’s Cebu concert
Four months ago, he was celebrated as the champion of a television network’s talent competition, a farmer from Negros Occidental who was on his way to a better life as an entertainer.
Last weekend, Noven Belleza, 22, found himself under hospital arrest in Cebu City.
He did not resist arrest, police said, and spent last Saturday night in a police detention cell, but reported he was having chest pains last Sunday afternoon.
Today, the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor will continue its inquest proceedings on Belleza, whom the Mabolo police have accused of rape.
Like Belleza, the complainant is a singer who also competed in the “Tawag ng Tanghalan” singing show. The two were reportedly text mates, the initial police investigation pointed out.
But before Belleza performed in a concert last Saturday night of comedian Vice Ganda, the complainant went to the Mabolo police and asked for help. She accused Belleza of raping her inside a condominium in Barangay Lahug. It wasn’t clear when.
Police said it was the woman’s family who waited for Belleza after Saturday’s concert in the IEC Pavilion in Barangay Mabolo, then picked him up in a citizens’ arrest.
Police yesterday filed criminal charges against a singer who allegedly tried to rape a fellow entertainer.
Mabolo police charged Noven Belleza, the grand champion of ABS-CBN's "Tawag ng Tanghalan" singing competition, with rape before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor.
But due to time constraint, Belleza's inquest will continue today, said Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casiño.
Belleza is under hospital arrest after he complained of chest pains.
He was taken into custody around midnight last Sunday.
Mabolo Police Station Chief Jacinto Mandal said the alleged victim went to their station before the concert, seeking assistance.
Mandal said that it was the alleged victim's family who nabbed Belleza, through citizen's arrest, after the singer performed in the "Pusuan Mo si Vice Ganda" at the IEC Pavillion in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
He said they accompanied the alleged victim to the concert venue.
"We assisted the victim during the citizen's arrest because she was the one who really knew what happened," Mandal said. The singer did not resist arrest. Mandal said Belleza was not given special treatment and the lat- ter even spent the night inside the Mabolo police detention cell.
At around 1 p.m. on Sunday, Belleza complained of chest pains and was placed under hospital arrest in Barangay Banilad.
According to initial investiga- tion, Belleza and the alleged victim, who also participated in the “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” knew each other and were “text mates.”
The rape allegedly happened inside a condo unit in Barangay Lahug. /