Count Liza Diño among personalities who have marched to court recently.
Liza, actress and former chair of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), is suing entertainment portal Pep.ph for libel.
This, for allegedly publishing last year a series of malicious articles tantamount to character assassination.
In a statement, Liza shared how she contemplated long and hard before deciding to do so.
“It took years of endless discussions with my husband (singer-songwriter Ice Seguerra) and family because this decision is difficult to make. The entertainment industry revolves around public opinion and by doing something like this, people might judge me all over again. Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko pa kaya nanahimik na ako. Pero it ba yung tama? Why am I allowing their false narrative to be the truth when I know my truth? I know THE truth.”
Implicated in the case are Pep.ph editor-in-chief Jo-Ann Maglipon and Pep.ph news editor and writer Rachelle Siazon.
Also included in the complaints are various personalities including actor and former FDCP chair Tirso Cruz III and present FDCP chair, Jose Javier Reyes.
Said Atty. Regie Tongol, Liza’s counsel, “Our client is doing this in order to send a message that ‘the exercise of press freedom must be done consistent with good faith and reasonable care.’ This was clearly abandoned by Pep.ph when they wrote and published the subject articles.”
Pep.ph, in a statement said, “As of date, PEP has yet to receive any papers or documents from the Quezon City Office of the City Prosecutor (QC OCP); and thus, it cannot comment yet on the alleged complaint.
“In the event that such papers or documents are received, PEP intends to avail of any and all legal remedies available to it, and shall intently cooperate with the QC OCP for the proper resolution of the said complaint.”
Liza is just the latest in a growing number of celebrities who have complained against some media practitioners.
Just recently, Bea Alonzo made headlines suing both Cristy Fermin and Ogie Diaz, among others, for libel.
Note Sharon Cuneta and her husband Kiko Pangilinan has since followed suit, lodging a similar complaint against Cristy.
