Julia Barretto has sought legal advice after she was accused of ordering the temporary closure of Mantigue Island in Camiguin for a content shoot.

Such claims stemmed from an open letter shared on social media by a netizen, who was apparently one of the tourists whose trip was disrupted because of the closure of Mantigue Island “for a celebrity shoot.”

The netizen stressed that there were no prior public announcement, and that the shoot allegedly even extended past its schedule which “[forced] many to cancel or reschedule their plans.”

“To the LGU of Camiguin, prioritizing a single celebrity over numerous paying tourists is unacceptable,” the netizen said.

“To Julia Barretto and your team, while we respect your work, shutting down an entire public island for hours with no regard for others is selfish and entitled,” the netizen continued. “If efficiency mattered, you could have started earlier instead of occupying Mantigue Island at peak hours. Instead of gaining admiration, you turned potential fans into critics.”

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Julia then released via her Facebook page on Wednesday, March 12 a statement on the matter, clarifying that she did not have the authority to order the island’s temporary closure.

“Last weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to visit Camiguin upon the invitation of its local leaders. From March 1 to 3, we partnered with them on a tourism project aimed at showcasing the island’s rich history, culture, and natural beauty,” she began.

“However, I have recently been made aware of false accusations regarding my involvement in temporary area closures during our shoot,” she stated. “To clarify, I was not involved in any decisions regarding closures. The coordination and management of the locations were entirely under the jurisdiction of the local government.”

Julia further stressed that she was only informed during the shoot that the area would be temporarily closed. “To assume that I had the authority to dictate such decisions is both unfair and misleading.”

“I take this matter seriously and am currently seeking legal advice regarding the spread of false and misleading information, including a manipulated TikTok video with fake audio that aims to misrepresent me,” she added.

Julia then addressed the netizen and posed a reminder that “spreading misinformation can cause real harm.”

“I hope neither you nor anyone in your life would have to experience the kind of unfounded attack and cruel words you have directed at me without having knowledge of what has transpired,” Julia said.

In the comments section, Julia pointed out that the netizen revised the original post, which supposedly “further proves a lack of knowledge and understanding about the trip.”

“Revising it now, while adding further misinformation and shifting the blame onto my team of four—assuming they had control over coordination—is incorrect,” the actress wrote.

Julia’s mom, Marjorie Barretto, also took to her Instagram Stories to address the netizen and the revision the latter made on her post.

“When you put it out there and you are called out, editing only makes you look weak,” Marjorie said.

Image: Instagram/@marjbarretto