Former Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and his wife Sharon Cuneta filed cyber libel charges against showbiz columnist and host Cristy Fermin at the Makati City Prosecutors Office on Friday, May 10.
(Photo from Nelson Canlas' Instagram)
In a media interview after filing the charges at the office of Prosecutor Dindo Venturanza, the Pangilinans said they filed the charges against Fermin after she allegedly aired malicious accusations against their family on her YouTube vlog.
"(We filed this) dahil sa malicious imputations and defamation of our personal lives. Sabi nga namin, yes we are public figures but we also have rights. Eh ang daming nagsasabi na 'hindi, pag public figure kayo dapat tiisin na ninyo yung pagsisinungaling at paninira' but that's not the case. In fact, we also have private rights, lalo na when the matter is not of public interest (We filed this because of malicious imputations and defamation of our personal lives. As we have said, yes we are public figures nut we also have rights. A lot of people kept on saying 'No, you are public figures hence you have to bear all the lies and defamatory statements against you', but that's not the case. In fact, we also have private rights, especially when the matter is not of public interest)," Pangilinan said.
"It gets to a point kasi na it affects your children, your family. I lost sleep over it. Kasi kahit hindi totoo, parang siyempre kahit papaano may limang maniniwala (It gets to a point that it already affects your children and your family. I lost sleep over it especially because it is not true. However, there will always be people who will believe it)," Cuneta stressed.
"I reached out to her. I had so much affection for her kasi feeling ko ang tanda na natin, ang tanda ko na. I was only looking for good points. And then after a while, parang suddenly I was shocked may konting lalabas, hinusgahan ka na agad. 'Di ka man lang tinanong. There's so much unfairness (I reached out to her. I had so much affection for her because I felt like we are too old for this. I was only looking for good points. And then after a while, suddenly I was shocked that something surfaced and that we are already being judged. You didn't even ask. There's so much unfairness)," she added.
The actress stressed that even their children are being negatively affected by Fermin's allegations about them on her YouTube channel.
"Even my children have suffered, ang sama ng loob nila. We've been off social media partly because of this. Ayoko 'to eh. Oo artista kami, pero nasasaktan din kami. 'Pag pinipintasan ako okay lang, pero sumobra na eh (Even my children have suffered and are so angry about this. We've been off social media partly because of this. Yes we are showbiz personalities, but we are also hurt. I can get by being mocked but this is too much already)," Cuneta sobbingly said.
Fermin, together with showbiz columnist and host Ogie Diaz, were earlier slapped with cyber libel charges by actress Bea Alonzo at the Quezon City Prosecutors Office on May 2.
Their co-hosts in their respective online programs were also charged by Alonzo.
The actress' affidavit stated that she was the victim of false, malicious, and damaging information from someone who pretended to be close to her and published and discussed on Fermin and Diaz's online shows without any basis.