Naghain umano ng counter affidavit ang showbiz columnist at talent manager na si Ogie Diaz sa inihaing cyber libel case laban sa kaniya ni Kapuso star Bea Alonzo noong Mayo.

Sa ulat ng ABS-CBN News, makikita si Ogie na nagsadya sa Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) nitong Martes, Hunyo 18, upang ihain ang kaniyang counter affidavit laban sa demanda ng aktres, kasama ang kaniyang legal counsel.

MAKI-BALITA: Ogie Diaz, naghain ng counter affidavit kontra cyber libel case ni Bea Alonzo

Bukod sa mga abogado, kasama ni Ogie ang kaniyang co-hosts na sina Mama Loi, Ate Mrena, at Tita Jegs.

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Ni-reshare naman ni Ogie ang Facebook post ng kaniyang legal counsel na si Atty. Regie Tongol kaugnay sa kanilang official statement.

Ipinaliwanag ng abogado ang "two counts" o ang dalawang inirereklamo ng kampo ni Bea laban kay Ogie. Aniya, ang naging ugat ng demanda ni Bea ay ang episode noong Nobyembre 19, 2022 tungkol sa naging mga komento ni Ogie sa mga komento at reaksiyon naman ng mga netizen sa Philippine adaptation ng "Start-Up PH" na ipinalabas sa GMA Network, gayundin ang episode noong Pebrero 12, 2024 kung saan natalakay ng hosts ang tungkol sa umano'y saka lamang napupunta kay Bea ang role kapag tinanggihan na ito ni Kapuso Primetime Queen Marian Rivera.

"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. In our seventy-page (70) Counter-Affidavit, we called out the Complainant by not clearly stating in her sixteen-page (16) Complaint-Affidavit the specific individuals who uttered the specific defamatory statements making it appear it was all Mr. Diaz who made them.

"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.

"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."

"By being an actress, complainant in effect gave the public a legitimate interest in her life and in her work. Therefore, the subject posts and utterances by Mr. Diaz’s co-hosts are within the realm of fair comment on her work as one of the actresses in the Philippines contrary to their claim in the media that it was about her personal life. Under our laws 'fair commentaries on matters of public interest are privileged and constitute a valid defense in an action for libel or slander' because democracy would be meaningless without free discussion of public affairs, even at the cost of a few bruised egos."

"Other bloggers, writers, journalists and our clients should not be cowered by the filing of cases just to suppress the freedom of expression and of the press by public figures who are too onion-skinned. Our clients will fight this case with courage because they have no malicious intent and the thirty million pesos (P30,0000,000.00) damages being asked by Ms. Bea Alonzo in her complaint is not only unjustified and unreasonable but is also exorbitant. We are also ready to file other counter charges against Ms. Alonzo for malicious prosecution and damages for this suppression of our client’s freedom of the press and expression in due time," bahagi pa ng opisyal na pahayag.

MAKI-BALITA: Teleserye, inaalok lang kay Bea kapag inayawan ni Marian?

Samantala, wala pang tugon, reaksiyon, o pahayag ang kampo ni Bea kaugnay sa isyu.