7 Filipino Celebrity Women Who Were Brutally Destroyed by the Media
The world can be cruel. No, scratch that. People can be cruel—especially to young women in the glaring spotlight of showbusiness. While the general public plays a huge part in all of this, the media takes it a step further and turns everything into a circus. It's almost formulaic: A female celebrity's misstep turns into a scathing headline that eventually escalates to a full-on media trial that then ruins careers and reputations.
Through the years, several famous women have been wronged by the press. Here, we've listed down seven Filipino celebrity women that the media and most of the public (yes, clicking on a story that viciously attacks any of these women makes you complicit) probably owe an apology to.
Julia Barretto
Ever since Julia Barretto started acting, the media has tried to paint her in a controversial light. From familial feuds to onscreen pairings, she's been dragged into every mess possible. It reached new heights when she was blamed as the cause behind the breakup of Bea Alonzo and Gerald Anderson… which honestly isn't any of our business anyway. As soon as that issue died down, things even got worse when broadcaster Jay Sonza repeatedly claimed that Barretto was pregnant. The actress stood up for herself and filed a cyber libel case against Sonza.
Ellen Adarna
The media has called Ellen Adarna a controversial actress time and time again for her laidback attitude and honest approach in interviews. Even then, reporters tend to focus on rumors about her social and dating life in almost every article. Though Adarna goes about her reputation with relative ease, it still doesn't make it right.
Julia Montes
Julia Montes has always been well-loved by media, but things took a turn when she stepped back from showbusiness in 2018. Instead of respecting her decision, entertainment publications and tabloids continued to speculate about what Montes was up to—specifically her personal life. Once again, it's none of anyone's business.
Krista Ranillo
The daughter of '70s actor Mat Ranillo III was thrust into the spotlight when she was linked to Manny Pacquiao in 2009. While Pacquiao was pretty much unscathed by the controversy, the young actress' name appeared on less-favorable headlines for months. Even Jinkee Pacquiao herself went on a public tirade against her. The two have since made amends. The damage had been done and Ranillo fully stepped back from the industry and moved to the U.S. for good.
Katrina Halili
In another example of women being blamed for the bulk of a scandal, there were the infamous leaked videos featuring Hayden Kho. Instead of focusing on Kho, the victims of the leak became the news item themselves with a focus on Katrina Halili. The actress didn't let the media circus faze her. She faced the controversy head-on and even worked with women's group Gabriela to help counsel women who have been victims of sex videos.
Kris Aquino
Kris Aquino is well-loved by many Filipinos as a character with many quotable quotes, but that wasn't always the case. In the early 2000s, she was relentlessly attacked and mocked by the press. A particular interview where she talks about Joey Marquez stands out. In it, she alleges that the comedian abused her and gave her a sexually transmitted disease. News outlets decided to focus on the latter instead of the abuse—something that wouldn't really fly today.
Pepsi Paloma
If there's a woman the media failed it was Pepsi Paloma. The actress' rape case was sensationalized as it was reported with salacious details. Things got worse when she was cast for a film where she played the role of a woman taken advantage of. The rumors and media coverage that followed led to some doubt about her testimony as a rape victim. On May 31, 1985, after previous suicide attempts, she took her own life by hanging.
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