Daven Tamayo

Escudero: Posting screenshots of text messages on social media is illegal

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Senate President Francis Escudero believes posting screenshots of text messages on social media is illegal. During the Kapihan sa Senado, Escudero was asked whether the public should be careful when it comes to handling text messages and screenshots of these messages. Escudero said that messages may be deleted, or the user may resort to disappearing messages, though the latter may get confusing. &quot;Ang problema ko dun sa disappearing messages, hindi ko na alam kung ano yung pinag-uusapan namin. Pag sumagot siya... tungkol saan ito ulit?&quot; Escudero said. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2024/12/4/anthony-jennings-clarifies-he-and-maris-racal-are-just-friends-ex-breaks-silence-1251">Anthony Jennings clarifies he and Maris Racal are just friends, ex breaks silence</a></div>Asked if posting screenshots of messages on social media violated data privacy laws, the Senate chief answered in the affirmative. &quot;I think so as a lawyer I think so but, again, its an allegation that needs to be proven in court. Alegasyon siya,&quot; Escudero said. Escudero however cited jurisprudence that states that while it maybe illegal, it may be used as evidence. &quot;Ngayon yung recent decision ng Korte Suprema kung papasukan niyo talaga ito, paglabag siya pero pwedeng gamitin bilang ebidensya kasi may prinsipyo sa korte na fruit of the poison tree na kapag sa illegal mo nakuha hindi mo pwedeng gamiting ebidensya. Pero gumawa ng exception ang Korte dito, pwedeng gamiting ebidensya sa criminal case hindi sa civil case. Para patunayan ang innocence or guilt ng akusado pero hindi sa isang civil case para mapagbayad o mabawi anumang ari-arian. So yung ang pagkakaiba nun,&quot; Escudero said.<div>CAUTION ON ENDORSEMENTS </div>The Senate chief also urged caution for those making business endorsements. Escudero and his wife, actress influencer Heart Evangelista, had been product endorsers in the past. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/5/lawyers-weigh-in-on-anthony-jennings-maris-racal-issue-1741">Lawyers weigh in on Anthony Jennings-Maris Racal issue </a></div>&quot;Pinapreview sa akin ng asawa ko ung mga pinipirmahan nya pero walang bayad yung attorney’s fees,&quot; Escudero said. &quot;Wala namang mawawala na maging maingat sinuman. Na huwag masyadong manggigil ika nga. Dahil lamang may malaking kita na naka amba sa kanila.&quot; Senator Robinhood Padilla has authored a bill that seeks to protect product endorsers from the unauthorized sale of investment contracts and other forms of securities, with a press release from Padilla&#x27;s office citing the case of actress Nerizza &quot;Neri&quot; Naig-Miranda. Escudero however said existing laws are enough. &quot;Para sa akin, sapat yung batas. Ihiwalay mo ang ordinaryong endorser sa endorser na partner pa. Ang alegasyon ay alegasyon ha, remember complaints are allegations that need to be prove in court. So, ang alegasyon ay maliban sa endorser, partner, bahagi, kasama sa korporasyon o kumpanya,&quot; he said.&quot;Ang rason kung baket sila kinakasuhan hindi dahil endorser sila dahil bahagi sila diumano nung kumpanya. A mere endorser should not be liable to any scams that will happen dun sa restaurant o doon sa negosyo o doon sa business. Halimbawa, i-endorso mo isa sa mga fastfood chains, may na food poisoning sa isang branch na franchisee ang may-ari so maraming issue yun, sino ang may kasalanan? Yung franchisee? Pati ba yung mother company may kasalanan eh franchisee un. May common commissary ba sila? May mali bang ginawa? Nanggaling ba mismo sa commissary ung nakapag food poisoning? Klaro sa kasong un walang kinalaman ang endorser dun. Criminal liability is always attached to two things and two things only an act or an omission. May ginawa ba sya na hindi nya dapat ginawa, may hindi ba siya ginawa na dapat nyang ginawa. Yun ang pwedeng maging basehan lang ng isang criminal complaint laban s aiyo bilang endorser, wala siyang ginawa o hindi ginawa kaugnay sa anumang scam na nangyari o mangayayri na wala naman syang kinalaman o hindi siya bahagi doon.&quot; <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/4/neri-naig-nakalabas-na-ng-ospital-kasunod-ng-release-order-na-inisyu-ng-korte-2141">Neri Naig-Miranda nakalabas na ng ospital kasunod ng release order na inisyu ng korte</a></div>Escudero however explained that that an endorser actively selling shares or investments is al altogether different matter. &quot;Panibagong, ibang krimen yun violation un ng revised securities act naman. Ulitin ko ha, in-a-allege na nagbenta diumano ng securities, ng shares sa isang kumpanya. Ang share sa isang kumpanya ay dine-define ng Revised Securities Act as a security na kailangan mo ng lisensiya para doon bago mo magawa iyun,&quot; explained Escudero.&quot;Bigyan kita ng example, ang mga broker ng condominium o ng bahay kailangan may lisensya din. O, ikaw may nabalitaan kang binebentang bahay, may kaibigan kang alam mong naghahanap, pinagtagpo mo silang dalawa at pinatungan mo ng kaunti at binigyan ka noong nagbebenta dahil doon. May nilabag ka ba? Strictly speaking, possible dahil hindi ka registered broker ng real estate. Kasi may mga reportorial requirements un para sa tax. Pero may makakaalam pa ba? eh baka naman rektang nagbilihan na lang na hidni na dumaan sa broker so wala namang makakaalam maliban na lang kung mayroong galit sa yo. At ipo-post ang mga screenshots ng message nyo para sabhing may komisyon ka talaga doon.&quot;

Senate President Francis Escudero believes posting screenshots of text messages on social media is illegal.

Senate President Francis Escudero believes posting screenshots of text messages on social media is illegal.