Ogie Diaz Files Counter-Affidavit on Bea Alonzo’s Cyber Libel Complaint

Ogie Diaz and his co-hosts in “Showbiz Update Live,” Loi Villarama and Wrena Lualhati, filed separate counter-affidavits on the cyber libel complaint filed against them by Bea Alonzo.

According to the report by ABS-CBN, they filed the counter-affidavits on June 18 at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, accompanied by Atty. Regie Tongol.

In a statement, Tongol noted that Villarama pressed a counter-charge for perjury with damages against Alonzo, claiming the complaint affidavit made it appear she made defamatory remarks even though she had 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,” he said.

“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.”

Tongol emphasized that Alonzo’s camp failed to show “clear and convincing proof of actual malice” whether in the form of “reckless disregard for the truth” or ill-motive.  

He then stated that the opinions expressed by Diaz on the said episode were “merely based on a common truthful observation of the netizens,” referring to her performance in the drama series “Start-Up PH.”   

The lawyer also pointed out that the hosts’ statements in the episode dated February 12, 2024, were not defamatory.

“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,” he added.

Tongol concluded his statement by emphasizing that they will continue to fight for the case and that the 30 million pesos damages in Alonzo’s complaint were “unjustified and unreasonable.”

“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.”

On May 2, Alonzo filed three separate cyber libel cases against Diaz and Cristy Fermin along with their program co-hosts. The actress also took legal action against a netizen who pretended to be close to her. 

According to her complaint affidavit, she was a victim of “false, malicious, and damaging information.” Alonzo made headlines in February following her split with her former fiancé Dominic Roque, which was previously discussed on Diaz and Fermin’s show.

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