Actor Dominic Roque has taken legal action against showbiz columnist Cristy Fermin, filing a cyber libel complaint at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasig City on Friday, May 31.

The complaint, according to Dominic’s lawyer, Atty. Bryan Fernandez, is based on “malicious statements and innuendos” made by Cristy Fermin on her YouTube channel, Showbiz Now Na.

“Mr. Roque filed a criminal complaint against Ms. Fermin today for cyber libel before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasig City,” Atty. Bryan Fernandez confirmed to ABS-CBN News in a text message.

The allegations stem from remarks Cristy Fermin made during a vlog that Dominic and his legal team claimed were defamatory. 

“In her vlog, Ms. Fermin made malicious defamatory innuendos, suggesting that Mr. Dominic Roque has a benefactor who is a politician, and that this politician owns the condominium unit where he currently resides,” stated a release from Dominic’s legal team.

These accusations have had a significant impact, spreading rapidly across social media platforms. 

“The malicious and baseless innuendos were quickly picked up by social media netizens, several of whom even uploaded a photo of Dapitan City Mayor Bullet Jalosjos, without his knowledge and consent. There is absolutely no truth to these malicious innuendos,” the statement added.

This complaint follows a similar legal action taken earlier this month by actress Bea Alonzo, who also filed a cyber libel complaint against Cristy Fermin at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City. Bea’s complaint, like Dominic’s, centers on allegedly defamatory statements made by Cristy Fermin.

The recent filings reflect a growing concern among celebrities over the impact of defamatory remarks made online. Dominic’s legal counsel stressed the importance of holding individuals accountable for spreading false information that damages reputations.

“Ms. Fermin acted outside the bounds of protected free speech,” they asserted, “and intentionally caused damage to the integrity and honor of Mr. Roque and the personalities involved.”

— By Samantha Prats