Liza Diño Seguerra at the Office of the Prosecutor of Quezon City. Photo courtesy of Liza Diño Seguerra 

MANILA -- (UPDATED) Former Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chairperson Liza Diño Seguerra filed 78 counts of cyber libel via four complaints at the Office of the Prosecutor of Quezon City against entertainment website PEP and other personalities. 

In her statement posted publicly on her Facebook page, she said PEP and other personalities involved in her complaint should be held accountable in the attempt to tarnish her reputation by manipulating public opinion.

"Why am I allowing their false narrative to be the truth when I know my truth," she said.

Although it was not specified on her Facebook post, the complaint stemmed from a series of articles that PEP published about Diño in May 2023.

"I have decided to fight back and reclaim my name and reputation through a system that is impartial to their great power and influence," she said.

Here is Diño's full statement posted on her social media account:

"In May of last year, I was ambushed as malicious article after malicious article was released attacking everything about who I am -- my accomplishments, my leadership, my very person. Hiding behind anonymous sources and twisted facts, these articles didn’t seek to inform, but to damage and destroy me. 

"Matagal kong pinagisipan ito. It took almost a year of endless discussions with my husband and family because this decision is difficult to make. The entertainment industry revolves around public opinion and by doing something like this, people might judge me all over again. Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko pa kaya nanahimik na ako. Pero ito ba yung tama? Why am I allowing their false narrative to be the truth when I know my truth. I know THE truth.

"So today, through my legal counsels, I filed 78 counts of cyber libel via 4 complaints at the Office of the Prosecutor of Quezon City against PEP and personalities involved in an attempt to tarnish my reputation by manipulating public opinion. There must be accountability.

"I have decided to fight back and reclaim my name and reputation through a system that is impartial to their great power and influence.

"I refuse to engage in trial by publicity and in fighting dirty. Instead, I place my trust in the justice system and its proper channels.

"Regardless of the outcome, I will rest easy knowing that I stood up for myself and demanded accountability.  

"My story continues. I have so much to look forward to and so many people in my life that I cherish, and for that, I am thankful.

"So thank you to everyone who supported me and believed in me all this time."

ABS-CBN News reached out to PEP through one of its regular writers and no statement is available as of press time. The team is still consulting with their legal team.

Meanwhile, a statement released by Atty. Regie Tongol, legal counsel of Diño, identified the personalities included in the cyberlibel complaint. They are PEP editor-in-chief Jo-Ann Maglipon and PEP news editor and writer Rachelle Siazon, former FDCP chairperson Tirso Cruz III and the present chairperson of the FDCP Jose Javier Reyes. 

Below is Tongol's statement in full:

"Former Film Development Council of the Philippines chairperson Liza Diño has filed four complaints involving seventy-eight (78) counts of cyberlibel against Philippine Entertainment Portal (Pep.ph) editor-in-chief Jo-Ann Maglipon and Pep.Ph news editor and writer Rachelle Siazon over a series of libelous articles posted on the website of Pep.ph in 2023. Also impleaded in the complaints are various personalities including actor and former FDCP chairperson Tirso Cruz III and the present chairperson of the FDCP, Jose Javier Reyes for their hand in the actions of Pep.ph against our client. What is obvious is that our client was given by Pep.ph extraordinary special treatment by releasing not one but six articles to form a series of damaging articles in rapid succession. This created a sustained negative publicity against our client, which is inconsistent with a good faith effort to inform the public and more aligned with a strategy for character assassination. This is not a work of a truly journalistic endeavor but a work often done by public relations instrumentalities.

"The Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City under the helm of Chief Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano will hear the complaints and decide the filing of information in court. Our client is doing this in order to send a message that “the exercise of press freedom must be done consistent with good faith and reasonable care." This was clearly abandoned by Pep.ph when they wrote and published the subject articles."