The entertainment and pageant communities were jolted in late January after former driver and personal assistant Bonifacio “Totoy” Baro filed a formal complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against actress Rhian Ramos and beauty queens Michelle Dee and Samantha Panlilio.
Baro accused the three of physical assault, torture and illegal detention — claims that have since been strongly denied by the actresses and their legal team.
As both sides present conflicting narratives, the case has unfolded publicly through legal filings, media interviews, social media posts, and official statements. Below is a detailed timeline tracing how the controversy developed.
17 January
In interviews with the media, Baro claimed that the incident began in the early hours of 17 January.
He alleged that at around 3 a.m., he returned to the Makati condominium shared by Ramos and Dee after a taping. Upon entering the unit, he said he was confronted by bodyguards and physically assaulted.
“They started hitting me. I couldn’t even defend myself,” Baro claimed in one interview.
According to his account, the alleged beating continued for several hours.
By around 6 a.m., Baro said Dee left for Iloilo for a scheduled appearance but insisted that the alleged abuse by bodyguards and others inside the unit continued.
Public records and social media posts showed that Dee traveled to Iloilo to attend and perform at the Miss Iloilo 2026 coronation, held that evening at the West Visayas State University Cultural Center.
Later that day, Panlilio posted throwback photos from her birthday celebration on Instagram, which featured both Dee and Ramos. Around the same time, Ramos also shared throwback photos as part of an online trend.
Baro later claimed that despite Dee’s departure, he remained inside the condominium and was allegedly beaten until the morning of the next day.
18 January
Baro alleged that Dee returned from Iloilo on 18 January and again participated in the alleged assault, along with Panlilio.
He further claimed that several lawyers arrived at the condominium to pressure him into surrendering allegedly stolen photos.
“I was being forced to admit something I didn’t do,” Baro said.
Later that day, Baro said he was brought to the One Ayala police station in Makati, where he was questioned and allegedly detained.
On the same day, records revealed that Dee filed a barangay blotter report at around 5:30 a.m., accusing Baro of physically hurting her.
In the report, Dee alleged that Baro grabbed her arm “with enough force and strength for it to bruise and cause pain.”
This filing would later become central to her camp’s argument that she was the victim, not the aggressor.
19 January
Baro claimed that on 19 January, Dee and Panlilio arrived at the police station with a bodyguard.
He said he was questioned again about the allegedly missing photos and, after denying possession, was allegedly taken to another area of the station and beaten.
“They kept asking me where the photos were. When I said I didn’t have them, they hit me again,” he alleged.
By this time, Dee had already filed a qualified theft complaint against Baro before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, accusing him of stealing sensitive images.
Baro maintained that he was detained and assaulted for three consecutive days.
22 January
After reviewing the qualified theft complaint, the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the case.
Baro was released from custody.
He later said this marked the end of his alleged physical confinement but not his pursuit of legal action.
28 January
Baro formally filed a complaint before the NBI, accusing Ramos, Dee and Panlilio of physical assault, torture, and illegal detention allegedly committed from 17 to 19 January inside Ramos’ condominium.
That same day, the legal counsel of Ramos and Dee, Atty. Maggie Abraham-Garduque, issued a statement denying the accusations.
“As far as our clients are concerned, no incident of illegal detention occurred,” Abraham-Garduque said.
She added that her clients had not yet received an official copy of the complaint.
As of this date, Panlilio had not issued any public statement.
29 January
A day later, the legal team reiterated its denial and questioned the timeline presented by Baro.
Abraham-Garduque stressed that the allegations were “physically impossible,” pointing to Dee’s confirmed presence in Iloilo on 17 January.
“Records will show that Michelle Dee was out of Manila for most of that day,” she said. “The accusations do not match the documented movements of our client.”
The lawyer also revealed that the camp was considering filing libel and perjury cases against Baro.
30 January
The controversy took another turn when Arsenio “Boy” Evangelista, president of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), spoke publicly in support of Baro.
Evangelista claimed that tensions between Ramos and her driver allegedly began after Baro communicated with businessman and former mayoralty candidate Sam Verzosa, who had previously been linked to Ramos.
“Verzosa was emotional. He still cared,” Evangelista said. “But he had nothing to do with any physical incident.”
Evangelista also fueled online speculation by mentioning rumors about Ramos’ alleged new romantic partner, describing him only as “a vlogger who looked sick.”
This remark triggered widespread online conjecture, particularly involving Wil Dasovich. Evangelista later clarified that Dasovich was not involved in the case.
“He was only mentioned because of gossip,” Evangelista said.
Meanwhile, supporters and observers began scrutinizing Baro’s timeline, citing Dee’s documented public appearances in Iloilo as contradicting parts of his account.
Responding again, Abraham-Garduque stood by her clients.
“Our clients maintain that these allegations are false,” she said. “There was no illegal detention, no torture, and no assault.”
She also reiterated that Baro had previously admitted involvement in the qualified theft case filed by Dee.
Where the case stands
As of the latest update, the case remains under review, with no final ruling from the NBI or prosecutors.
Baro continues to insist that he was abused and unlawfully detained, while Ramos and Dee firmly deny all accusations and have threatened legal action in response.
“We are confident that the truth will come out,” Abraham-Garduque said. “We will defend our clients in the proper forum.”
With conflicting narratives, documented travel records, and pending investigations, the controversy remains one of the most closely watched legal and showbiz stories of the year — highlighting how private disputes can quickly turn into public battles in the age of social media and instant scrutiny.