Police arrested Byron Garcia, brother of former Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in Talisay City on Thursday afternoon, June 11, 2026, following the issuance of a warrant of arrest stemming from a case filed by Dr. Elisse Nicole Catalan, daughter of Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, for an alleged violation of the Safe Spaces Act, also known as the Gender-Based Sexual Harassment Act.
Garcia, a resident of Barangay Pooc, Talisay City, was apprehended at 4:35 p.m. at the Talisay Fish Port in Barangay San Roque, Talisay City. The arrest warrant was issued by the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 1 in Mandaue City for three counts of alleged violations of the Safe Spaces Act.
The operation was carried out by joint operatives from the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the Cebu Police Provincial Office in coordination with the Talisay City Police Station. Garcia, in a chance interview with reporters at the Talisay City police jail facility near the city hall compound on Thursday night, denied any knowledge of the allegations against him. “Wa koy kalibutan gyud aning kasoha (I really have no knowledge about this case),” Garcia said.
“From start to finish, wa koy kalibutan. Unya any further questions ako pang hunahunaon... (from start to finish, I have no knowledge, and for any further questions, I will still have to think about it),” he added. According to the warrant, bail was set at P108,000 for his temporary release.
When asked if he knew who filed the case, Garcia confirmed he saw the arrest warrant and named the complainant as Elisse Nicole Catalan, daughter of Governor Baricuatro. “O, nakakita ko sa warrant, ang anak ni Pamela ba kanang Elisse Nicole (Yes, I saw the warrant, Pamela's daughter, that Elisse Nicole),” Garcia said. His legal counsel, Sherwin Mabanto, declined to discuss the specifics of the case. Mabanto said they would reserve the right to present their version of the story to the proper forum at the appropriate time.
The Philippine Safe Spaces Act, or Republic Act 11313, penalizes unwanted sexual comments, gestures, or advances. The law covers offenses committed in public places, online spaces, workplaces, and educational institutions. This arrest highlights the ongoing enforcement of the Safe Spaces Act in the Philippines, as authorities continue to act on complaints of gender-based sexual harassment.
