Blogger Laurio after winning data privacy case vs Nieto: ‘I am relieved’

File picture of Jover Laurio of Pinoy Ako Blog (left) when she was filing a disbarment case against Larry Gadon at IBP office in Pasig City. She was together with AR Angcos from the group Millenials Philippines. (INQUIRER photo/JOAN BONDOC)

MANILA, Philippines — Blogger Jover Laurio on Friday expressed relief after the person who had exposed personal information about her on the internet was found guilty by the court.

The respondent in the case is Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto, a blogger under the name ‘Thinking Pinoy.’

Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 132 found Nieto guilty of violating the Data Privacy Act 2012.

“[I am] relieved. Relieved. Masaya, pero bumalik lahat ng trauma,” Laurio said in an interview over ANC.

“I remember those times na nakatingin ako lagi sa likod ko kasi feeling ko, may mananakit sa’kin,” she recalled.

(I remember when I was always looking behind my back because I felt I would be harmed.)

Laurio sued Nieto in 2018 for publishing, recording, and consolidating her personal information online in March of the same year.

Previously, she maintained her website “Pinoy Ako Blog” anonymously.

The court ruled Nieto committed the acts against Laurio with malicious intent.

It stated, “defendant Nieto maliciously and with ill intent, collected, recorded, consolidated, and published, without authorization, plaintiff’s sensitive, personal information, as follows: a) her name; b) her user credentials for the website ‘Pinoy Ako Blog’; and c) the law school where plaintiff is currently enrolled.”

The court ordered Nieto to pay P100,000 for nominal damages; P100,000 for moral damages; P100,000 for exemplary damages; and P50,000 for attorney’s fees and litigation expenses.

The respondent was also directed to destroy all copies of Laurio’s personal and sensitive information that were in his possession.

Laurio, through her blog, was fact-checking the information being released by the Duterte administration.

Looking back, she said Nieto was encouraging people to harm her.

This situation led her to resign from her job, move out of her house, and stop her schooling.

“Nawindang yung buhay ko. Hindi ako nakapagtapos sa law school at nag palipat-lipat ako ng tirahan that time,” Laurio remembered.

(My life turned upside down. I didn’t graduate from law school and moved from place to place at that time.)

“Pero ang isang positive naman ay marami palang katulad ko. There is a community out there na lumalaban sa katotohanan,” said Laurio.

(But the positive thing is that there are many people like me. There is a community out there that fights for the truth.)

The ruling said, “Accordingly, [Nieto] disturbed and disrupted [Laurio’s] right to privacy. Hence, he is liable for his transgression.”

“Premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered in favor of plaintiff Laurio,” it concluded.

The document, dated March 31, 2023, was obtained by INQUIRER.net on Friday.

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