Ogie’s legal team reserves the right to file further legal charges against Bea’s attempt to “suppress freedom of expression”
Entertainment columnist Ogie Diaz issued his counter-affidavit on the cyberlibel complaint that Bea Alonzo filed against him.
Loi “Mama Loi” Villarama and Wrena Lualhati—Ogie’s co-hosts in “Showbiz Update Live”—have also filed their counter-affidavit, with Mama Loi forwarding a separate case for perjury with damages before Quezon City’s investigating prosecutor Edward Seijo.
The defendants aim to terminate the P30 million in damages sought by Bea through the cyberlibel case she filed on May 2, 2024. Aside from Ogie, Bea also filed a complaint against Cristy Fermin, together with Ogie’s unnamed co-hosts.
IMAGE: ogie_diaz on Instagram
According to the press statement, Bea failed to concretely determine the individuals who made the “defamatory utterances”—putting an impression that it was Ogie alone who made them.
Part of the press statement reads, “Today, my clients filed their separate Counter-Affidavits before Investigating Prosecutor Edward Seijo.
“Along with the filing of a Counter-Affidavit, our client Mama Loi also filed a counter-charge for perjury with damages against Ms. Alonzo since the Complaint-Affidavit made it appear she made defamatory utterances even though she has not said anything at all.”
More so, the legal document also underscores the time discrepancy of Bea’s legal case, stating that the comment made on a particular episode of Ogie’s YouTube vlog lapsed the implemented prescription period for cyberlibel.
“Ms. Alonzo’s two counts of Cyberlibel even included the November 19, 2022 episode in the ‘Ogie Diaz Showbiz Update’ Youtube channel. Meaning, it was filed way beyond the one-year prescriptive period for Cyberlibel. As to this count, we are very confident that the charge against our clients would be dismissed.”
The document also emphasizes some elements of cyberlibel, including Bea’s insufficient details to provide actual malice, given that the comments made in two separate episodes of Ogie’s vlogs are still within the premise of fair commentary.
“They even failed to show clear and convincing proof of ‘actual malice’ whether in the form of ‘reckless disregard for the truth’ or ill-motive which is a legal requirement and standard if the Complainant is a public figure.
“The opinions expressed by Mr. Diaz’s co-hosts on the November 19, 2022 episode were merely based on a common truthful observation of the netizens of the performance of her show ‘Startup PH’ as pointed out in their several comments online.
“As to the second count which refers to episode February 12, 2024, the utterances there by Mr. Diaz’s co-hosts are not defamatory because being offered a role that was turned down by Marian Rivera-Dantes or any other actresses is not unusual given that Mrs. Rivera-Dantes is the undisputed queen of GMA. We proved that it is a common practice in both the local and foreign showbiz industry.”
The document also examines Bea’s stature as an actress, saying that being in the limelight makes her a public figure—which gives anyone the right to comment on her “work as one of the actresses in the Philippines.”
In the end, it reiterates the lack of “ill-intent” to harm Bea’s reputation. Viewing Bea’s move as “unjustified, unreasonable, and exorbitant,” the team vows to take further counter charges for Bea’s attempt to suppress free speech and expression.”
Bea Alonzo against Ogie Diaz
In May 2024, Bea took her battles to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office—upon the presence of Prosecutor Anna Fe Abad and backed by a legal team led by Atty. Jose Manalo Garcia of Garcia Elauria Ruanto & Associates law office.
At that time, Ogie said, “Basta ang importante, sa totoo lang, hindi ako galit kay Bea Alonzo. Naniniwala ako na karapatan niya yan. Kung feeling niya na nasaktan natin siya, karapatan niya yun.
“Karapatan din naming idepensa ang aming sarili at ipaglaban kung ano ang para sa amin. Wala akong naramdaman na galit or hate. Ayaw na naming magbuhat bangko at isa-isahin ang kabutihan na [ipinakita namin] para sa artista. Kapag wala na kaming bashers, hindi na kami relevant.”
READ ALSO: Bea Alonzo Files Cyberlibel Case Against Ogie Diaz, Cristy Fermin
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