After Jamela Villanueva, Anthony Jennings’ non-showbiz ex-girlfriend, dropped Maris Racal and Jennings’ conversation screenshots on a Tuesday night, netizens have started to speculate about the legal aspects that could possibly follow the controversy.

Villanueva’s Instagram stories, which began with a photo of her crying and followed by screenshots and short explanations of how she felt at every moment, showed how she was emotionally affected by the affair of Racal and Jennings.

However, Villanueva’s revelation did not sit well with other people. While some were empathetic, some said that it was bound for legal action for violating the involved artists’ privacy.

Lawyers on the Internet have pointed out that Villanueva has violated the Data Privacy Act (DPA) by sharing the actors’ conversations without their consent.

“Jamela may have committed at least two crimes with her actions — cyber libel and violation of data privacy. She cannot hide her actions under the guise of ‘moving on,’” celebrity lawyer Joji Alonso’s Facebook post said, noting that while the screenshots were legit, Racal and Jennings did not commit any crime.

“Yes, she may have experienced pain and betrayal, but this does NOT give her the license to violate the law,” Alonso added.

Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, Atty. Jesus Falcis noted, “sending out the screenshot to another person will only come under the scope of the DPA if personal data is indeed involved.”

In Villanueva’s case, while she was a victim of cheating and endured emotional distress, Falcis said that she had exposed herself to potential cyber libel charges and violations of the Data Privacy Act.

Instead of posting on social media, the lawyer advised that victims of cheating should file a case of violation against women for the psychological violence the infidelity has caused.

Netizens on X (formerly Twitter) reacted to the legal aspects of the controversy, noting that in issues like this, engaging in legal violations only leads to negative outcomes for everyone involved.

“We, as lawyers, have one point: it hurts to lose a partner to someone else, but you don’t need to break the law just to get back at them. In this issue, everyone loses,” a lawyer from X said.

Meanwhile, Falcis said that while cheating is bad, they have human rights, too, and vindicating a victim’s right should not create more victims.

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN on Friday, Racal said she was oblivious to Jennings and Villanueva’s ongoing relationship as her Incognito co-star told him he was already single.