LEGAL ACTION Actress Julia Barretto, with mom Marjorie, files a cyberlibel complaint against former broadcaster Jay Sonza on Friday at the National Bureau of Investigation. —PHOTO GRABBED FROM ABS-CBN
Actress Julia Barretto on Friday filed a cyberlibel complaint and violation of the Safe Spaces Act in the National Bureau of Investigation against former broadcaster Jay Sonza for his malicious social media posts regarding the ABS-CBN talent’s rumored pregnancy.
In an interview with the Inquirer, NBI Cybercrime Division chief Vic Lorenzo said Barretto was accompanied by her mother Marjorie at the NBI office around 11 a.m. to file the charges in relation to Sonza’s Facebook public post on Sept. 21.
The Safe Spaces Act seeks to protect everyone from sexual harassment in public spaces such as streets, markets, malls and even in cyberspace.
“I have gone through a lot, I have let a lot of things pass in social media … I just want to show people that am not going to let these things slide,” Barretto told ABS-CBN.
In a statement, Barretto said she went to the NBI to ask the agency to investigate Sonza’s “untrue and irresponsible” statements in his social media account.
“I am pursuing this case because the statements made by Mr. Sonza are untrue and irresponsible. The widespread reposting of the news based on his post caused distress to me and my family,” she said.
“I don’t want to take this matter lightly. Mr. Sonza, and all those who publish these reckless and baseless posts, must be held accountable for their actions so that they think twice before claiming things as fact,” she added.
In his online post, Sonza said Barretto was pregnant with actor Gerald Anderson, the actress’ rumored boyfriend.
“Napatunayan nina Visoy (Visayan Tisoy) Gerald Anderson at anak nina Dennis Padilla at Marjorie Barretto na si Julia Barreto na kapuwa hindi sila bago (The Tisoy Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto, the child of Marjorie and Dennis, found that they are not new),” Sonza wrote.
“After months of love lockdown and ESQ (exact sex quadrant)—something is formed in Julia’s womb. Nahinayak ang batang Dadiangas, Nasiyot man jud oi. Kapugngan pay tren, dili ang gugmang gauros uros tawon. Happy Monday po. Makikibalita ako kung kailan ang kasal sa aking neighbor (I will seek an update on date of the wedding of my neighbor),” Sonza said.
Barretto said she would pursue the case despite Sonza retracting his statements on Tuesday.
In his subsequent post, Sonza retracted his statements, this time quoting on Facebook Julia and Marjorie Barretto’s denials of the former’s pregnancy.