Vivamax artists AJ Raval, Ayanna Misola, and Azi Acosta are facing criminal cases filed by the Kapisanan ng Social Media Broadcasters ng Pilipinas, Inc. (KSMBPI) for alleged violations of the cybercrime law due to “obscene publication.”
This comes after the same group previously took legal action against TV hosts Vice Ganda, Ion Perez, and vlogger Toni Fowler for similar reasons. The lawsuits were filed before the Pasay City Prosecutors Office earlier today.
These artists, together with Angeli Khang, another Vivamax star, are accused of breaching Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code in connection with the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. This legislation condemns the spread of “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows.”
KSMBPI claims this move is consistent with their mission to combat “moral decay and anarchy” in the entertainment world, especially in its connections to social media. Legal documents pertaining to the charges against the artists were shared on the Facebook page of Mark Tolentino, the legal counsel for KSMBPI.
In a recent statement, Bernie Miaque, KSMBPI Secretary General, alluded to “silent victims” who have reportedly shared undisclosed scandalous information from within the entertainment industry. The organization hinted at forthcoming complaints against various other personalities in showbiz, spanning directors, managers, columnists, and reporters.
Additionally, Miaque mentioned that the group is considering the possibility of holding production companies legally accountable for crimes like sexual harassment and human trafficking.
At this time, neither Vivamax nor the accused artists have issued any public statements regarding the charges.