Tabloid on publishing Catriona Gray’s fake topless photos: ‘We did our part to protect you’

The tabloid Bulgar defended itself after it printed Catriona Gray’s fake topless photos, saying they did their part in protecting her by blurring the photo and “not releasing the original.”

Miss Universe 2018 titleholder Catriona demanded a public apology and a Php10-million settlement from the tabloid after it published her fake topless photos and uploaded it on their Facebook page, according to PEP.ph’s report.

However, instead of issuing an apology, Bulgar’s entertainment editor Janice Navida posted a statement on their online site on Tuesday explaining their position.

“We did our part to protect you—because you deserve that—by not releasing the original photo sent to us, instead we blurred the private part because of our intention is not to show the readers that ‘eliciting to the mind’ portion but just to inform everyone that there’s someone or maybe a group of people that want to destroy you,” said Navida.

She further explained that their intention was to “inform the readers, not just you and your camp, that someone, or maybe a group of people, is doing this, spreading the obscene photo through online to destroy your name.”

She added: “I hope too that may see our intention to help you in clearing your name to the whole universe that the nude photo circulating online is fake and edited only, that’s why when we learned about your clarification on the matter, we quickly posted your camp’s statement on our Facebook page and website to enlighten everybody about that controversial photo.”

Navida also stated that their intention was evident after they published an article in their newspaper under Melba Llanera’s Insider column on July 19.

An excerpt of the article read: “Kung sakaling totoo ito at hindi edited lang, ’di na namin papangalanan pero tiyak na may ideya na ang ibang tao kung sino ang maaaring nasa likod ng paglalabas nito.”

Navida emphasized they weren’t the enemy.

“I understand how you felt when this news came out. It’s a natural reaction of a person being destroyed helplessly, especially you’re holding the most prestigious title,” she wrote.

“But please consider to understand that we are not here to be your enemy but to help you clear your name ’coz we know the feeling that you are being talked about behind your back and you have no way to defend yourself.”

In July, Catriona sought the National Bureau of Investigation’s help to track the people behind the fake photos circulating online.

Her lawyer Joji Alonso said in the statement that the photos were “fake and digitally altered” and that they would take “legal action against those involved in the manufacture and publication of said photo.”

The lawyer added they denounced the “vicious attempt to tarnish the good name of Ms Gray.” – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News