NAKED FACTS
Catriona’s camp said that the photos were digitally altered and the beauty queen herself went to the National Bureau of Investigation on 21 July to file a complaint against those who spread the photos
Have you heard that Ms. Joji Alonso, the lawyer that Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray chose to assist her in seeking justice from a tabloid newspaper, tried to send a demand letter for damages amounting P10 million and an apology addressed directly to the former
Miss Universe?
Bulgar recently published a nude photo identified as Catriona.
Since we are not a lawyer, we wonder why a demand letter is being sent to the persons allegedly responsible for the publication of the nude photo in the tabloid’s entertainment section and its Facebook page.
Why can’t the allegedly guilty people be sued immediately in court? Why ask for a settlement first? There has got to be a very justifiable reason for doing that.
Is the fact that there’s no case filed yet the reason only one entertainment website (PEP.ph) and Rappler, the online only news outlet, have bothered to report about the demand letter?
PEP knew about the attempt — yes, it was only an attempt — only because the law office of Alonso sent the website a copy of the demand letter on --- July. Rappler’s report was based solely on the PEP lengthy piece that quoted extensively from the demand letter. The PEP report admirably recalled the sequence of events that Bulgar went through to promote the eventual publication of the nude photo.
In the letter, they said that the photos have caused “immeasurable damage” to Catriona, and called the photos “malicious, defamatory and libelous.”
Oh, yes, it was only an attempt to deliver the demand letter because the guards at the tabloid’s offices (which are known to be in Quezon Avenue, QC, almost in front of the famous Sto. Domingo Church) refused to receive copies of the letter addressed to the paper’s entertainment editor, Janice Navida, showbiz writer Mildred Llanera and the Bulgar Facebook administrator simply identified as John Doe (because his/her name was not on the page). The guard firmly reasoned out that none of them hold office in the building. In these days of quarantine courtesy of the COVID, newspaper sections may be completed by working from home.
The nude photo of the woman identified as Catriona was posted on Bulgar’s Facebook page on 18 July, and were featured in a print article on 19 July.
Catriona’s camp said that the photos were digitally altered and the beauty queen herself went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on 21 July to file a complaint against those who spread the photos. That visit to the NBI was reported by the newspapers and about a dozen of news websites. PEP reported that Catriona’s camp sent the demand letter to the Bulgar office on 30 July. In the letter, they said that the photos have caused “immeasurable damage” to Catriona, and called the photos “malicious, defamatory and libelous.”
As of this writing, the tabloid has yet to issue a public statement on the case. Both Navida and Llanera have individual Facebook pages. Those pages are active as we write these have not bothered to say a word about the nude photo and the demand letter.
PEP reported that Alonso already knows that the demand letter was never received. The report quoted Alonso as saying her office can take legal action against Bulgar 10 days after the attempt to deliver the demand letter to the paper’s headquarters.
Meanwhile, Catriona goes on her lovely merry ways, including being the girlfriend of actor Sam Milby and ex-girlfriend of ramp-commercial model Clint Bondad who is now based in Thailand from where he posted on his Instagram for about a whole week recently some cryptic messages meant for Sam.
Ah, despite the unquestionably stressful overstaying COVID-19, showbiz is always blessed with stories to entertain the harassed Pinoys. We’re all alive here and kicking.