Vlogger Diwata said the law came down hard on him over alleged business non-compliance.
Instead of being given a chance to fix the issue, he claimed he was arrested outright without receiving any subpoena or warning.
In a Facebook video uploaded on February 4, 2026, Diwata—whose real name is Deo Jarito Balbuena—spoke candidly about the ordeal, saying he had just woken up and was still overwhelmed by the stress of spending nearly a full day in detention.
“Nakulong ako. Yes, totoo. Nakulong ako," he said in the video.
"Bakit? May warrant na naman ako. Hindi man lang ako nakatanggap ng subpoena na may warrant na agad.”
According to Diwata, the complaint against him was filed by a government agency, which he did not identify.
He said the case stemmed from alleged non-compliance issues involving his paresan business.
“Tungkol ito sa negosyo. Paresan. Ano bang negosyo ko? Pares,” he said, adding that he was surprised by what he described as the immediate issuance of a warrant.
Diwata expressed frustration over what he perceived as a lack of opportunity to address the alleged violation before being arrested.
“Puwede namang ayusin kung may pagkakamali ako, pero bakit warrant agad?” he said.
He also downplayed the scale of his business, saying he was not a big-shot entrepreneur and that his earnings were modest.
“Hindi naman ako big-time na negosyante. Halos tama-tama lang pangkain ang kinikita ko, minsan, abono pa,” he said.
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DIWATA’S ARREST, DETENTION, AND BAIL
Diwata said he was arrested at around 6 P.M. and remained in detention overnight and throughout the next day.
He said he was released after posting PHP60,000 bail, which he described as a significant amount given his financial situation.
“Nag-bail ako. Anlaki ng bail. Nasa PHP60,000 yung pinagpiyansa ko,” he said.
The vlogger said he spent approximately 24 hours in detention, noting that he would have remained in jail if he had been unable to raise the bail amount.
“Kung wala pa akong pera na pangpiyansa, hanggang ngayon nakakulong ako,” he said.
Diwata repeatedly described the experience as deeply stressful and questioned what he saw as the fairness of the process, particularly for small business owners trying to make a living.
“Ang hirap maging Pilipino, sa totoo lang. Lumalaban ka naman nang patas. Hindi ka naman namimerwisyo. Dumidiskarte ka sa sarili mo para mabuhay ka,” he said.
He neither mentioned the police district nor the officders involved in his arrest.
He also declined to share further details about his case, citing its pending status and an upcoming court hearing.
“Nasa korte na. May hearing pa ako,” he said, adding that he was advised against discussing the matter in full at this time.
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Diwata reiterated that he had not received any subpoena or formal notice prior to his arrest and appealed for guidance on how to comply with any business requirements authorities may have flagged.
“Kung ano man yung dapat ayusin, puwede naman, di ba? Tulungan niyo ako kasi hindi ko alam kung paano gawin iyan. Ayusin natin.
“Halimbawa, kung merong pagkakamali, hindi para diretso sa kulungan. Nang wala man ako subpoenang natanggap, di ba? Hindi diretso sa kulungan.”
Toward the end of the video, Diwata expressed gratitude that he was able to secure his release, attributing it to his faith amid what he described as a major personal trial.
“Ang intensiyon ko lang naman, dumiskarte, maghanap-buhay. Pares lang naman yung tinda ko.
“Ang kinikita ko, pang tabla-tabla lang sa pagkain ko araw-araw, minsan kulang pa. Bakit ganun, kailangan pang ikulong? Grabe, napaka-unfair ng mundo ata.
“Iyan lang naman guys, shinare ko lang. Ayaw ko nang idetalye, siguro, soon, lahat. Kasi ngayon, may kaso ako, e. Pero yun ang clue. Hindi daw ako nag-comply.
“Wala naman ako natanggap na subpoena. Wala naman nagsasabi sa akin na ganito pala.
“So, dapat di ba tulungan niyo ako kung ano man yung dapat itama, hindi ikulong ako? Yun lang, guys. Naka-stress grabe. Sobrang stress ko.
“Siguro, hindi ko idi-discuss sa inyo lahat. Basta iyan, sa paresan ko, hindi daw nag-comply.”
In April 2024, Diwata was also arrested in connection with a separate case involving allegations of slight physical injuries stemming from a complaint filed in 2018.
The case involved accusations that he had struck a construction worker in Pasay City. That earlier arrest was unrelated to his business activities.