IBP-Cebu City sues embattled sounds, lights provider for cyberlibel
Alberca: ‘Post not about IBP Cebu’
Cebu City.
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The sounds and lights provider caught in the Pasigarbo 2023 mess is now facing another challenge.
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Cebu City Chapter (IBP-Cebu City) has sued Giselle Alberca of Alberca Sounds and Lights over a now-deleted post on social media, which apparently insinuated that the group failed to pay for the latter’s services for an event in 2022.
IBP-Cebu City execs, lawyers Regal Oliva and Michelle Mendez-Palmares, filed cyberlibel complaints against Giselle on Monday, October 16 at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.
The lawyers said they want to hold Giselle accountable over a now-deleted post on Facebook she made last week that insinuated someone had failed to pay them for their services for an IBP-led event last year.
According to IBP-Cebu City, Giselle’s post has spread all over social media, with rumors implicating their group as the party that did not fulfill its obligations, which they denied. The lawyers, instead, said they paid P400,000 in advance.
Throwback
Based on screenshots shared by IBP-Cebu City, Giselle posted a throwback photo of their ‘Joint Regional IBP Convention: Festival of Festivals’ that took place in October 2022.
Her caption states: ‘Hala one year na. Unfortunately, we still have not received payment for this event sa mga lawyers. Pagkadaghan na gyod nga event ani nya wla mi kabyri. Lesson learned na gyod ni Isidro Alberca.
Oliva said they reached out to Giselle. IBP-Cebu City also asked her to delete the post and write an apology to clarify things, which the latter did. But according to Oliva, Giselle, later on, unpublished her statement of apology, prompting the IBP-Cebu City to take legal action.
“She said ‘gi delete namo ang first post so gi-delete sad namo ang apology.’ They really don’t like to say sorry,” the lawyer told reporters on Monday.
CDN Digital has reached out both to Giselle and her husband and proprietor of Alberca Sounds and Lights, Isidro, for their comments but to no avail as of this posting.
It can be recalled that Alberca Sounds and Lights was the supplier that faced scrutiny and backlash from Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia over the series of technical glitches during the Pasigarbo last August.
Post was for MDF Production
However, Giselle has since republished her statement of apology, which was first posted on October 14.
In it, she clarified that her earlier post was intended for MDF Production, which apparently contracted Alberca’s services for IBP’s event.
“First, it was never my intention to blemish nor stain the names of the lawyers. I have very high regard for all of them… My post might have caused confusion. I am sorry. I too, was confused,” wrote Giselle.
“It has come to our knowledge that the MDF Productions intentionally, or if not, negligently ignored to pay us. Until now, wala pa gyud tawon mi nadawat nga payment for the services we rendered,” she added.
Oliva confirmed that they coordinated with MDF Productions in tapping for Alberca’s services. IBP-Cebu, however, proceeded to sue Giselle for unpublishing her statement of apology.
“We have to rectify whatever false narratives ni spread sa social media,” Mendez-Palmares said.
Sought for comments, Margarita Frasco of MDF Productions, requested not to comment.
/bmjo
NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect the latest developments.
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