The tabloid Bulgar took defense and said it did its part in protecting Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray by printing the blurred fake topless photos and “not releasing the original.”
Catriona earlier demanded a P10-million settlement and a public apology from Bulgar after it published her fake topless images and posted it on their Facebook page, PEP.ph said in a report.
However, Bulgar’s entertainment editor Janice Navida posted a statement on their online site instead of apologizing to the beauty queen.
“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.
The editor added they intended 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.”
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“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,” she added.
Navida noted 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.”