Jam Villanueva, Anthony Jennings’ ex-girlfriend, is facing potential charges of cyber libel under Republic Act 10175 and data privacy violation under Republic Act 10173. On December 3, Jam shared screenshots of conversations between Maris and Anthony, which quickly went viral. The Supreme Court decided on December 3 that chat logs and videos can be used as court evidence.
ABS-CBN Star Magic’s legal counsel, Atty. Joji V. Alonso, hinted that Maris and Anthony might file a case. Atty. Joji stated that although Maris and Anthony’s actions might be seen as morally wrong, they committed no crime since they weren’t married to their partners.
The legal counsel acknowledged Jam’s feelings of betrayal but emphasized that she violated the law by sharing private conversations. They noted that Jam committed at least two crimes: cyber libel and data privacy violation. The phrase “Nemo jus sibi dicere potest” was mentioned, meaning “no one can declare the law for themselves.”
Jam has since removed the screenshots from her Instagram, possibly realizing the legal implications. However, many people had already shared the posts. Maris and Anthony are known for their love team in the online series “Can’t Buy Me Love” and will appear in an upcoming series with Richard Gutierrez, Daniel Padilla, and Ian Veneracion, as well as in a film with Vice Ganda for the Metro Manila Film Festival.
