Bea Alonzo filed several complaints of cyber libel against showbiz columnist and online hosts, Cristy Fermin and Ogie Diaz, on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
According to a report by the Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph), Bea filed three separate complaints before the Quezon City Prosecutors Office. Included in the defendants of the case are Cristy and Ogie's other co-hosts in their respective online programs.
GMA News Nelson Canlas' report also stated that Bea filed another case against a netizen who allegedly pretended to be her close acquaintance.
Bea Alonzo versus Cristy Fermin and Ogie Diaz
Bea was accompanied by her manager Shirley Kuan, and legal counsel Jose Manolo Garcia when she filed the complaints.
Garcia said this was a first for Bea, who has been in the entertainment industry for over 20 years.
"She was greatly devastated by all these defamatory statements thrown against her," Garcia told PEP.ph.
Bea's complaint detailed allegedly malicious and false reports about the actress' civil duty to pay the right taxes. Nelson's report read, "Kasama dito ang umano’y sunud-sunod na paninira kay Bea sa kanilang mga columns at mga show. Kabilang na ang issue na umano’y di pagbabayad ng tamang buwis ng aktres." Cristy and Ogie's camps have not yet responded to the filing as of writing.
Bea's legal counsel also emphasized that the respondents did not seek Alonzo's side of the story when they reported about her.
"As far as I'm concerned, wala po, despite them knowing the truth about all these statements subject of the complaints that we filed," the lawyer added.
The complaints are criminal cases, and "one of the reliefs being sought is damages po," he added.
Cristy Fermin and Ogie Diaz's reports about Bea Alonzo
Cristy and Ogie's statements alluding to Bea's life off-cam reportedly started when Bea and her ex-boyfriend Dominic Roque called off their engagement early this year.
During the same period, Cristy shared news about Dominic which negatively affected the actor's reputation. Dominic slammed Cristy for releasing alleged "malicious and defamatory public statements" against him. Dominic's statement on Cristy's allegations came weeks after he and Bea confirmed their breakup.
"These defamatory statements were made by Ms. Fermin under the guise of entertainment news without any effort from her to confirm the same from Mr. Dominic Roque," the statement read. It added that Cristy made "innuendos" that Dominic supposedly has a "politician benefactor," which netizens reportedly implied to Dapitan City Mayor Bullet Jalosjos. The actor's statement clarified that Bullet has a long-time friendship with Jalosjos.
Dominic's statement also sheds light on their prenuptial agreement. "Mr. Dominic Roque and Ms. Bea Alonzo never fought nor had a disagreement over a pre-nuptial agreement. Reckless statements relating to the alleged disagreement over a pre-nuptial agreement between them are, not only unverified but merely based on speculations intended to produce a negative image on the parties concerned," it stated.
