Republic of the Philippines

Department of Justice
National Prosecution Service
OFFICE OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR
Pasay City

MICHAEL DENVER A. MERCADO

Complainant,

-versus- I.S. No.

For: Violation of Art.315(2)(a)
ANTONETTE BILARAN,
Respondent.

x…………………………...x

JUDICIAL AFFIDAVIT

This Judicial Affidavit of Antonette J. Bilaran, is executed to serve as her direct

testimony in the instant case. This Judicial Affidavit was taken at the office of Atty. Aldrissalyn
E. Castro from the Public Attorney’s Office, Pasay City District and is being offered to prove the
following:

A. That herein affiant, who is the defendant in this case, is not the same person as “Beverly
Cabanlog” who the complainant allegedly met at Conrad Hotel and have defrauded him;

B. That she does not know any person with the name of Beverly Cabanlog; and

C. That she is not the recipient of the subject amount of money and that it is impossible for
her to withdraw that kind of amount.

QUESTION AND ANSWER

1. Q: Please state your name, age and your residence where your posts and summons
may be served.
A: I am Antonette J. Bilaran, Filipino of legal age, single and a resident of 2417
Aurora St., Barangay 108, Zone 12, Pasay City.

2. Q: What is your reason for executing this Judicial Affidavit?

A: I am executing this Judicial Affidavit to answer the complaint-affidavit filed
against me by Michael Denver Mercado who accuses me with the crime of
Estafa.

3. Q:Do you personally know this Michael Denver Mercado?

A:No. I do not personally know him.

4. Q:Where were you on the alleged date, February 20, 2020, that the crime was said to
be committed?
A:I was on duty as a sales lady of a jewelry boutique, Ma’am.

5. Q:What is the name of this jewelry boutique you are working with?
A:S Maison Ma’am
6. Q:Where is this located?
A:It is located just across Denovo Diamonds, Ma’am.

7. Q:How long have you been working there?

A:I have been working there for almost two (2) years already, Ma’am.
8. Q: What do you wear as you work? Were you prescribed of a uniform?
A: Yes Ma’am, we are prescribed with a uniform.

9. Q: How does it look like?

A: It is a long sleeved white satin blouse which is flowy and has a tied ribbon
in the middle of our collar. We pair it with a high-waist black skirt which
is pencil cut to our knees.
10. Q: How do you distinguish it with the uniform worn by sales ladies of
Denovo Diamonds?
A: There is almost absolutely no distinction besides the fact that their blouses
are not made of satin and the ribbon tied in the middle of their collar is not
part of the blouse itself but a separate scarf but also of the same color
white. The comparison of the two uniforms are shown in a picture herein
attached as Annex “A”.

11. Q: Are all of you, together with the employees in Denovo, wearing IDs
during working hours?
A: Yes, we all are wearing IDs. We actually wear two IDs, one for our
Identification as an employee of the boutique where we are working and
one as passes for entering the vicinity or the hotel.

12. Q: How were you able to know the complainant?

A: I was on duty that day he came to Denovo. I was supposed to go to Greta
Ramirez, one of my friends working at Denovo when I bumped into him.
13. Q: What is your business with this Greta Ramirez?
A: I was supposed to chat with her about some personal issues as she has
been a friend of mine ever since I started working inside Conrad Hotel.

14. Q: Are you allowed to do that on working hours?

A: Strictly we are not allowed to leave our posts however, we do sneak
sometimes most especially during idle times of work which are usually
upon noon or in the mid-afternoon.

15. Q: Is Greta aware that you will be coming to her that time?
A: I am not sure but since it has been a habit between the two of us to talk
during that certain time, I presumed that she already knows.
 To corroborate this statement, Greta Ramirez’ sworn statement is made an
integral part of this Judicial Affidavit as Annex “B”.

16. Q: Do you agree that you approached the complainant as alleged in the
complaint?
A: No. I merely bumped into him as he was going out and I was entering the
shop.

17. Q: After bumping into him, what happened next, if any?

A: I apologized first and asked him if I may help him.

18. Q: What made you ask such question when you already saw him coming out
of the shop?
A: Some clients who are able to get what they need have with them some
papers indicating that they have thoroughly inquired as to the payment,
delivery and other relevant matters signifying that a sale was really made.
Mr. Mercado was not holding anything and he looked like he was still
searching of another jewelry boutique.

19. Q: What happened next, if any?

A: He told me that he wants to buy a set of diamond jewelry. So I introduced
myself as a sales lady of a jewelry boutique as well.

20. Q: You said you introduced yourself. How did you do it?
A: I showed him my ID and said that I am Antonette Bilaran and I am sales
lady at Jewelry Boutique just across Denovo. I even pointed where it was.

21. Q: By saying that, do you deny of the allegation that you introduced yourself
as Beverly Cabanlog?
 A: Yes, I am denying such claim considering that I only have two IDs worn
on that certain date and both of them bear the name of ANTONETTE J.
BILARAN as shown in the picture attached herein as Annex “C”.

22. Q: Do you know anyone having the name of Beverly Cabanlog?

A: No, Ma’am. It is my first time to encounter such name.

23. Q: After introducing yourself, what happened next if any?

A: I was escorting him out of Denovo already when he started saying that he
wants to buy a set of diamond jewelry. So I told him that we have a
variety of designs that may suit his wants. He asked me how much would
it cost and I told him that the computation would depend on the carats, so I
asked him what design does he want. He said that he wants a variety but
should be simple yet elegant. He then told me that he was told of the same
thing at Denovo – that the price will be depending on the carats and he
pointed Greta and said that she was the one he inquired with. I said “Oo
nga po sir, ganun nga po” and then he told me that his budget is three
million.
I told him that he can find a set that will suit his budget but it may still be
short considering that what he wants is a set.

24. Q: How much does a set of diamond jewelry usually cost?

A: It depends actually on the boutique considering that each has their own
supplier and designer. But with our shop, three million is not enough for a
set. Much more if it is in Denovo.

25. Q: What happened next, if any?

A: He insisted that he really wants a set as a gift so I told him that I can
recommend a substitution and offered him to go to our shop so that I can
show him what we can offer for him.
26. Q: Where were you at that certain moment?
A: We were in front of Denovo’s glass door Ma’am.
27. Q: So you have not completely left the store yet?
A: We were not inside the shop anymore Ma’am. We were just in front of the
door.

28. Q: What happened next, if any?

A: He told me that he is being time-constrained and that our shop is
unfamiliar to him. He looked really hesitant to come with so I just gave
him our shops’ business card with my number in it, a copy of which is
hereby made as an integral part of this Judicial Affidavit as Annex “D”, so
that if he would like to inquire, he can just contact me in that number.
Then we parted ways already.

29. Q: Did he call you after that meeting?

A: No, Ma’am. I did not hear from him since then until I was sent of the
complaint.

30. Q: Are you a holder of any bank accounts?

A: I am a holder of a Security Bank account under the account number 3214-
0981-87 as evidenced by my ATM card, a copy of which is hereby
attached as Annex “E”. This is where my employer sends my salary
Ma’am.

31. Q: Do you admit of having received the subject amount of money worth three
million pesos?
A: No Ma’am. As a matter of fact, upon receiving the complaint, I
immediately went to Security Bank in order to check if such amount of
money was indeed forwarded as I was so afraid of being falsely accused.

32. Q: Upon going to the bank, what did you find out?
 A: I was told that no such amount of money was forwarded to my account
and this is evidenced by the deposits record from Security Bank, hereby
made integral part of this Judicial Affidavit as Annex “F”.

- End of testimony –

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of March 2020, at
Pasay City.

ANTONETTE J. BILARAN
Witness-affiant

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 1st day of March 2020 at Pasay City by
witness who has satisfactory proven her identity to me through her identification, that he is the
same person who personally signed the foregoing judicial affidavit before me and acknowledged
that he executed the same.

Administering officer

ATTESTATION

I, ALDRISSALYN E. CASTRO, of legal age, and with office at Public Attorney’s

Office, Pasay City, District Office hereby declare under oath that I am the counsel for the
complainant who supervised the witness in the execution of this judicial affidavit: and that I have
faithfully caused the recording of the answer of the witness on the above questions which were
profounded and that neither I, nor any person present or assisting me has coached the witness in
his answer.

Administering officer

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 1st day of March 2020 at Pasay City.