Marami ngayon ang napapatanong kung puwede nga bang masampahan ng kaso nina Maris Racal at Anthony Jennings ang ex-girlfriend ng huli na si Jam Villanueva, matapos niyang isiwalat ang umano'y cheating ng magkatambal sa kanilang relasyon, sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita ng screenshots ng mga personal na palitan ng mensahe nilang dalawa, sa isang social media platform.
Paliwanag ng iba't ibang mga celebrity/social media personality na lawyers, maaaring may nilabag daw na batas si Jam dahil sa kaniyang ginawa.
Ayon sa influencer na si Atty. Anselmo S. Rodiel IV, sa kaniyang social media platforms, may dalawang uri daw ang pagpo-post ng screenshots na nagpapakita ng isang private chat. Ang una, kapag nag-post ang uploader ng isang screenshot na makikitang may kinalaman siya sa naganap na kumbersasyon. Ang pangalawa naman, pagpo-post ng screenshot na hindi kasama sa pag-uusap ang uploader.
“Dahil depende po sa purpose kung magkakaroon ng liability or walang liability,” saad ni Atty. Rodiel.
Sa pagpapaliwanag ni Atty. Rodiel, alinsunod sa Korte Suprema, kung ang intensyon o purpose daw ng posting ng isang pribadong pag-uusap sa chat o text ay para mapunta sa pag-iimbestiga ng isang krimen, walang legal liability ang nabanggit na uploader.
“Hindi po yan violation of the right to privacy. Wala pong liability sa Data Privacy Act,” aniya pa.
Halimbawa raw, kung ang uploader ay magfa-file naman ng kasong Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) dahil ang ipinakita niya kunwari ay screenshots ng umano'y "cheating" ng kaniyang partner sa ibang babae, puwede raw itong isulong ng uploader, na papasok naman sa "psychological violence." Ipinaliwanag ng abogado na hindi lamang sa mga kasal na babae ang VAWC.
Ayon naman sa Facebook post ng abogadong si Atty. Joji Alonso, ipagpalagay raw na legit ang screenshots, wala pa rin daw krimeng ginawa sina Maris at Anthony dahil hindi pa naman daw kasal sina Anthony at Jam, o sina Maris at Rico.
"Assuming that all the screenshots are legit, the fact remains that Maris and Anthony have committed NO crime. Their actions may be regarded as morally wrong, but they were never married to their respective partners," anang Alonso.
Sa kabilang banda raw, si Jamela o Jam daw ang nakapag-commit ng dalawang krimen batay sa kaniyang ginawa.
"Jamela, on the other hand, may have committed at least 2 crimes with her actions - cyber libel and violation of data privacy. She cannot hide her actions under the guise of 'moving on.'"
"Yes, she may have experienced pain and betrayal, but this does NOT give her the license to violate the law."
"Nemo jus sibi dicere potest," dagdag pa niya.
Maging ang kilalang abogado at Kakampink na si Atty. Jesus Falcis ay nagbigay rin ng kaniyang legal explanation kaugnay rito.
"Even before screenshots of text or chat messages between Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings were leaked today, many people - especially those who were cheated on - have always asked me before about the legality of posting and sharing screenshots of private conversations," aniya sa kaniyang Facebook post.
"I have always told them that there is such a thing called as the right to privacy. Even cheaters have human rights.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) clarified in a 2020 advisory opinion that the Data Privacy Act applies to screenshots if they reveal the identities of those involved: 'It is worthy to note that the processing, i.e. sending out the screenshot to another person, will only come under the scope of the DPA if personal data is indeed involved—if the conversation/screenshot itself allows for the identification of the parties. If it is simply the content of the conversation, with names and other identities redacted or cropped out of the screenshot, it might not be within the scope of the DPA.'"
"So even if you were the victim of cheating, by posting screenshots of any alleged affair, not only are you exposing yourself to cyberlibel charges but also to charges for violating data privacy - which is punishable by stiffer and harsher penalties than cyberlibel."
"And while the Supreme Court just recently said that there is no violation of the right to privacy if screenshots are used in a criminal case, that is the caveat - the screenshots must be used in a criminal case."
Nagbigay rin siya ng posible bang gawin ng isang nag-upload kung sakaling nagawa na nga niya ang posting.
"So what’s a girl to do?"
"Well, you should still take screenshots as evidence of cheating or an affair (especially if you’re married). Then, what you should do is instead of posting on social media is to file a VAW (violence against women) case - psychological violence caused by infidelity."
"And if you’re a public figure or celebrity, let the media report or cover it - then you’ll get the publicity you wanted anyway without the legal liabilities for cyberlibel and data privacy."
"When you present the screenshots as evidence in court, that’s when the Supreme Court ruling will apply - that taking screenshots of private conversion is not a violation of the right to privacy when used as evidence in a criminal case."
"What’s unfortunate and what I find personally wrong in leaking the screenshots of Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings through social media is the slutshaming of Maris Racal because of her supposed 'thirst trap/hungry' messages."
"Look what statements have gone viral. 3-4 messages from Maris Racal and only 1, barely viral, from Anthony Jennings (about him disgustingly using method acting as justification)."
"Cheating is bad. But so is misogyny, enabled by violating the right to privacy."
"Victims have human rights. But vindicating your rights should not make more victims."
"Even cheaters have human rights," giit pa ni Falcis.
Sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, wala pang tugo, reaksiyon, o pahayag sina Maris at Anthony o maging si Jam patungkol sa mga susunod nilang hakbang matapos ang lumalaking eskandalong ito.
MAKI-BALITA: 'My truth!' Jam Villanueva, may pasabog laban kina Maris Racal, ex-jowang si Anthony Jennings