Cyber case, apology and court battle

Star Magic exec says sorry to 2 Cebuanos; actress Miranda chooses to fight in court

An executive of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic has issued a public apology and cleared two persons whom she earlier portrayed as bogus sellers of a camera.

Danilyn Nunga, road manager of Star Magic, said Clarence Taguiam and Donna Marie Go — both residents of Cebu City — are not in any way involved in any illegal activities as was portrayed in her post on Instagram in 2015.

“Their names have been mistakenly dragged into an online scam controversy. They are decent and honest people engaged in legitimate businesses,” said Nunga in a half-page printed apology in a Cebu newspaper on Friday.

“This apology is issued to clear their names from any fraudulent, criminal, or other aspersions,” she added.

Nunga’s co-accused, television actress Neri Naig Miranda, refused to enter into a compromise agreement with the two complainants.

“She (Miranda) chose to fight it out in court,” Lawyer Jan Michael Cagulada, the legal counsel of the two complainants, told Cebu Daily News.

Miranda, the wife of Parokya ni Edgar rock band vocalist Chito Miranda, and Nunga were indicted by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office for putting online a photo of two people who were falsely portrayed as bogus sellers of a camera.

She and the manager Nunga were charged with violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Cagulada said the charges against Nunga are set to be dropped by Judge Ricky Jones Macabaya of the Regional Trial Court Branch 5 in Cebu City after the latter issued a public apology to clear the complainants.

Another public apology is set to be issued by Nunga in another newspaper, the lawyer said.

Assistant Prosecutor Ruso Zaragoza, in indicting the accused, said Nunga was “reckless” in posting a photo of the complainants on Instagram.