The Philippine Fiesta of Victoria Inc (PFVI), led by its Chairperson Ross Manuel and his Committee of Management (COM), filed a third party court notice against The Philippine Times (TPT) in relation to the defamation case filed against the Fiesta by the plaintiff, the Concerned Members of Philippine Fiesta of Victoria (Concerned Members).
In the August 2013 edition of TPT, the letter of Fiesta’s former lawyer Ian Finch was printed detailing his response to TPT’s queries about the expulsion of PFVI’s 16 members and the selling of the Laverton property. The Fiesta (the defendant in the case) argued that the printing of the said article in both the print and online publications was published without Manuel and his COM’s consent. Hence, if the article did constitute an injurious falsehood and caused loss and damage to the Concerned Members, TPT should indemnify the Fiesta for the legal costs to pay the Concerned Members.
PFVI filed a statement of claim against The Philippine Times’ Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Alice Nicolas and TPT online edition, managed by Filcom Publishing Pty Ltd represented by George Gregorio in the Melbourne Magistrates Court of Victoria last 28 April 2016.
In a brief statement, Nicolas said that TPT will continue covering the Fiesta crisis despite the third party notice.
Read Philippine Fiesta related articles
- 2 May 2013 – Message to the Filipino Community from the Interim Management Committee Chair
- 23 April 2013 – Concerned Members of Philippine Fiesta to raise issues during AGM
- 1 May 2013 – Fiesta AGM spurs heated debate
- 2 May 2013 – Message to the Filipino Community from the Interim Management Committee Chair
- 17 June 2013 – Ross Manuel breaks silence
- 23 June 2013 – CAV’s letter to Ross Manuel
- 13 July 2013 – Ross Manuel regains PFVI control
- 13 July 2013 – Sale of Lot 2 by Manuel’s management a “secret transaction”?
- 23 July 2013 – Fiesta Concerned members expelled, banned for five years
- 12 Aug 2013 – PFVI answers PT queries on Fiesta issue
- 12 Aug 2013 – “People Power to Save the Laverton Property” to be held
- 15 Aug 2013 – Getting to know the 16 “expelled” Concerned Members of PFVI
- 3 April 2014 – Concerned Members of Fiesta file court case
- 15 Dec 2015 – Supreme Court reinstates Walkley et al as Philippine Fiesta members
- 11 Jan 2016 – Fiesta’s Laverton property remortgaged at $300k
- 27 May 2016 – Philippine Fiesta AGM postponed
- 1 Jun 2016 – Philippine Fiesta sues Philippine Times
- 24 Jun 2016 – CAV updates on Philippine Fiesta financial statements
