After four years of legal proceedings, Catriona Gray has won her libel case against entertainment editor Janice Navida and writer Melba Llanera. The case, filed in 2020, stemmed from the publication of a fake topless photo of Gray by Bulgar, which circulated online.
Gray’s lawyer, Atty. Joji Alonso, announced the court’s decision via Instagram on Friday, sharing that the Regional Trial Court found both Navida and Llanera “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of libel and cyber libel. The two were sentenced to a minimum of six months and one day of imprisonment.
Atty. Alonso described the court’s ruling as a “moral victory” for the 2018 Miss Universe, who pursued legal action after the misleading photo was published. Despite the photo being blurred, Gray maintained that her reputation had been damaged.
Navida and Llanera have stated they will appeal the decision, asserting that they took steps to protect Gray by not releasing the original unedited image. In response to the ruling, they commented, “Bilog ang universe. Hindi pa tapos ‘to. Tuloy ang laban para sa katotohanan” (“The universe is round. This isn’t over yet. The fight for truth continues”).