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PCC: Concerns over foreign ownership of utilities may be addressed through regulation

NATIONAL SECURITY concerns arising from the removal of foreign ownership restriction in telecommunications, transportation and other industries can be addressed through regulation, according to the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) commissioner.

“Understandably, there are security concerns in so far as certain public services which are no longer classified as part of the public utilities… We believe that those can be best addressed by regulation rather than limitation on ownership,” PCC Commissioner Johannes Benjamin R. Bernabe told BusinessWorld in an interview on Monday.

The House of Representatives passed House Bill No. 78, which seeks to amend the 83-year old Commonwealth Act No. 146 or the Public Services Act, on second reading last week. The bill proposed to limit the definition of pubic utilities to power transmission and distribution, water distribution pipeline system and sewerage pipeline system. Under the 1987 Constitution, foreign ownership of public utilities is limited to 40%.

Critics have said that HB 78 is a way to bypass the Constitutional limits on foreign ownership of public utilities, as it did not include telecommunications, power and transport in the definition of public utilities.

Mr. Bernabe said national security risks can occur regardless of the ownership of public utilities.

“If the fear is that the content is being manipulated, or if the fear is that vital information are being compromised then that is something that can happen whether or not its 60-40 (60% Filipino-owned, 40% foreign-owned),” he said.

“So what you really need are regulatory measures in place to make sure that those security breaches do not happen.”

HB 78 also provides a clearer definition of “public utility” which had been used interchangeably with “public services.”

Mr. Bernabe said public utilities are industries, considered as natural monopolies, and may pose risks if largely owned by foreigners.

He said the Public Services Act needs to be updated to identify industries that are no longer natural monopolies.

“Telecoms, before it was a natural monopoly simply because of the cost of laying down a backbone for the entire country, but now you have Wifi, you have satellites, cell sites, which can replicate the transmission required for telecoms, so its time has come,” he said.

HB 78’s counterpart measure is still pending at the committee level in the Senate.

The Cabinet included the measure as of the priorities for the first regular session of the 18th Congress. It also topped the list of bills supported by 14 local and foreign business groups, which was submitted to Congress last July.

The measure nearly hurdled the 17th Congress after it was approved in the House of Representatives, but failed to secure final approval in the Senate before the June 2019 adjournment. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

House legislators weigh next move on ABS-CBN

HOUSE SPEAKER Alan Peter S. Cayetano said he would meet with the House committee chair on legislative franchises, Rep. Franz E. Alvarez, on Monday or Tuesday to determine whether the lower chamber should have an “administrative hearing” on ABS-CBN Corp.’s franchise issue.

He told reporters on Thursday that the “meeting or hearing” would clarify the instructions to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). He added that ABS-CBN would not shut down unless Congress denies its franchise renewal.

“Walang dahilan magsarado ang ABS unless hindi ma-grant ang franchise. So while we’re deciding, walang dahilan na magsara,” he said.

(There is no reason for ABS-CBN to shut down unless its franchise renewal is not granted. So while we’re deciding, there’s no reason for its closure.)

On Wednesday, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said the letter of the House of Representatives authorizing the NTC to issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN once its franchise expires is enough for the regulatory agency.

He added that a similar resolution from the Senate would be “better.”

“It doesn’t really matter if it’s only the House franchise committee who has given that authorization to the NTC. From a legal standpoint, that’s substantially better than mere customary practice or established precedents,” he told reporters in a mobile-phone message.

“But a similar resolution from the Senate will provide a tougher armor to the NTC in the event of a legal challenge,” he added.

In the chance interview with Mr. Cayetano, he also told reporters that the House Joint Resolution (HJR) seeking to extend the media network’s franchise was “not needed” because it would “create more issues and more problems.” He said if the joint resolution is heard, it would give rise to more arguments.

Cebu Rep. Raul V. Del Mar filed HJR 28 on Feb. 18 seeking to extend ABS-CBN’s franchise until the 18th Congress ends or in June 30, 2022. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez filed HJR 29 on Wednesday seeking to extend the media network’s franchise for one year or until May 4, 2021.

“Ang message ko lang (My message is), we’re not taking any chances here but nor are we letting ABS off the hook just like that because it’s not about the President,” Mr. Cayetano said. “It’s really about the responsibility of a network if we give them a 25 year franchise.”

Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda said that ABS-CBN’s franchise “most likely” would be renewed.

He said if the franchise of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was approved at the House, that of ABS-CBN will also be cleared, he told reporters on the sidelines of the Makati Business Club meeting on Thursday.

Republic Act No. 11319, which extends CBCP’s legislative franchise for another 25 years, lapsed into law in July 2019 after President Rodrigo R. Duterte did not act on the bicameral conference committee report.

“Like the renewal of the franchise of CBCP, which would have been more problematic given the more antagonistic relationship between the administration and the Church … I would expect that the ABS-CBN franchise, using the same process, will be renewed,” Mr. Salceda said.

Currently, 11 bills are pending in the House committee on legislative franchises seeking to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN.

ABS-CBN’s franchise will expire on May 4, 2020. Congress has six session days left before it adjourns for its Easter recess on March 13. — Genshen L. Espedido and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Media network to donate P2.6-M refund from unaired political ads

ABS-CBN Corp. will follow President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s advice to just donate the P2.6-million refund that he declined to accept to a charitable institution.

The network also thanked Mr. Duterte for accepting the apology of Carlo L. Katigbak, the company’s president and chief executive officer.

On Wednesday, the President said he would not accept the P2.6 million being refunded by the embattled network for not airing his campaign ad during the 2016 presidential elections.

He said ABS-CBN should just donate the money to any charitable institution.

The Lopez-led company said in a statement on Thursday: “We are grateful and humbled by President Rodrigo Duterte’s acceptance of our apology.”

“We will coordinate with the President’s office as it relates to his guidance on donating the refund to a charitable institution,” ABS-CBN added.

It also said that it “remains committed to becoming a better organization and to continue to provide more meaningful service to Filipinos.”

The Office of the Solicitor General has filed a quo warranto petition seeking the cancellation of the legislative franchises of ABS-CBN Corp. and ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc. for supposedly violating the laws on foreign ownership restriction and for operating a pay-per-view channel, among others.

The Senate on Monday tackled the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, which Mr. Duterte threatened to shut down.

The Justice department said the network may continue operating without the approval of Congress, noting that lawmakers could file a resolution authorizing the National Telecommunications Commission to issue a provisional permit to ABS-CBN. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Three icons, one stage

TONIGHT and tomorrow, three icons of Philippine music — Basil Valdez, Lani Misalucha, and National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab — join forces in And The Story Begins.

This concert is presented by Resorts World Manila and CCC Productions on Feb. 28 and 29 at Resorts World Manila’s Newport Performing Arts Theater.

The powerhouse performances also feature the Manila Symphony Orchestra String Ensemble for the two-night show.

“This is going to be the first time na kaming tatlo ay magkakasama (that all three of us will be together), although we have worked together [in the past],” said Ms. Misalucha during a press conference last week. Ms. Misalucha’s career in the 1990s and early 2000s inspired her title “Asia’s Nightingale,” given by MTV Southeast Asia. In 2004, Ms. Misalucha moved to the US with her family, finding newfound fame as the first Asian to headline at a main showroom of the Las Vegas Strip. Ms. Misalucha would return to the Philippines a few years later.

For his part, Basil Valdez has had a long and storied career, spanning 50 years in Philippine music. He is best remembered for his songs “Hanggang sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan” and “Ngayon at Kailanman” (both titles of movies starring Richard Gomez, which used those songs as themes).

According to Mr. Cayabyab, the concert will be a review of Mr. Valdez’s best known hits, while Ms. Misalucha will perform a mix of new and established hits (during the press conference, she sang one of her latest songs, “I Can’t Give Anymore”).

As for Mr. Cayabyab, he was named a National Artist for Music in 2018. Mr. Cayabyab’s storied career, beginning in the 1970s, would see him giving command performances for royalty, releasing an unforgettable library of songs, and shaping contemporary Filipino music and theater with musicals such as Ang Larawan, Katy, and works based on the country’s most famous novels Noli me Tangere and its sequel, El Filibusterismo.

“We’re also looking back at how we started,” Mr. Cayabyab said, pointing to the show’s title as the beginning of a story.

He mentioned that he entered music right after graduating from college, in order to support his family. Mr. Valdez’s career trajectory, meanwhile, is tied to Mr. Cayabyab, who apparently discovered him in a band in 1977. Ms. Misalucha’s answer, meanwhile, was in jest: “Akala ko magiging beauty queen ako (I thought I was going to be a beauty queen).”

For these three greats, already veterans at their field, it seems as though a daunting and potentially monumental task can be brushed off as easily as a crumb. Speaking about audience expectations for that evening, Mr. Cayabyab said, “What can you expect? Fun.”

Tickets for And The Story Begins are now available at the RWM Box Office and all TicketWorld outlets. — Joseph L. Garcia

SEC flags ‘Elite’ group offering allowance and insurance cover

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has flagged another illegal investing group that is luring the public by offering weekly allowances and an insurance coverage.

The corporate regulator posted an advisory on its website Thursday against Elite Entrep Blue Print/Elite Entrepreneur Blue Print/EEBP. It said it operates on Facebook and invites people to invest a P115,000 capital in the firm.

But the SEC said EEBP is not authorized to solicit investments, as it does not have the required registration and license from the commission to operate such business.

“[T]he public is hereby advised to stop investing in the investment scheme being offered by the said entity,” it said.

The SEC likened EEBP’s operations to Teachers Financial Coaching Program/Teachers Financial Freedom Program/Elite Teachers Financial Program/Teachers Financial Program, another investment group that it said was operating illegally.

EEBP invites the public to invest P115,000 in exchange of P11,500-worth of Royale products. By selling the products and recruiting more members, the investors may be able to get their returns.

A weekly income of P5,000 to P50,000 and a P1-million insurance coverage in Bank of the Philippine Islands is also offered to investors as some of the “benefits” in becoming a member of EEBP.

The SEC said those that acted as salesmen, brokers, dealers of agents for the group may be fined up to P5 million or imprisoned for 21 years, or both, as penalty for violation of the Securities Regulation Code (SRC).

Section 28 of the SRC require persons engaging in the buying and selling of securities to secure a registration with the SEC.

The SEC said it will also give the names of those involved in EEBP to the Bureau of Internal Revenue for appropriate penalties and tax assessment. — Denise A. Valdez

Yo! DJ Hyo

By Cecille Santillan-Visto

Show Review
DJ Hyo: The Exclusive DJ Set
Feb. 8
House Manila, Resorts World Manila

IT HAS always been the dilemma of Korean pop stars: How they will transition from K-pop superstardom to a celebrity life that is less frenzied but equally glamorous?

Many have slowly moved away from the limelight towards family life with the likes of Wonders Girls’ Sunye choosing to settle down long after the popularity of “Nobody” died down. Others go into business — Hyorin of the defunct Sistar started her own music label, while Brown Eyed Girls’ Narsha launched her own clothing line. Though still very active, ex-2NE1 member Sandara Park has ventured into hosting and, in 2016, was named as the Public Affairs Manager at YG Entertainment, one of the biggest talent agencies in Korea.

But Girls Generation member Kim Hyoyeon felt the need to be a bit, well, different.

While still immersed in music, the 30-year-old Hyoyeon has fashioned a persona that deviates from the girl-next-door image that was tailor-fit for the members of Sonyeo Sidae (SNSD), the Korean translation of Girls Generation.

The last time that she was here in the Philippines with the nine-member GG was in 2015 — they were among the first foreign acts to perform at the then newly opened Philippine Arena. The group, which was launched in 2007, has since lost some members and has gone into semi-hiatus. Hyoyeon returned to Manila nearly five years later — alone and bringing with her a kind of entertainment different from what the fans are used to.

As a solo artist, Hyoyeon — now known as DJ Hyo — has released several singles such as “Sober,” “Punk Right Now,” and “Badster,” a psychedelic piece which she co-wrote and co-produced. She performed all these during her exclusive DJ set at Resorts World Manila’s House Manila earlier this month.

The club was teeming with Girls Generation fans, known as Sones, who came in full force and armed with their pink GG light sticks.

The show kicked off at around 10 p.m. and a number of celebrities were in attendance. Barely three weeks from the announcement of their breakup, James Reid and his ex-girlfriend apparently set aside any possible disagreements to see DJ Hyo at the event.

To drum up excitement, there were a number of front acts before DJ Hyo finally took the stage. Angelo G, Lox, and Nix Damn P were the curtain-raisers and provided house music for two hours. A DJ at Wave 89.1 FM, Angelo G has his own radio show, The Vibe, and plays at various clubs. Lox, on the other hand, was featured in the track “Don’t You Forget” along with Mr. Reid and Narez. Nix Damn P, meanwhile, is a household name in the local DJ and clubbing scene and has collaborated with various DJs and artists throughout his career.

With more than three years of experience as a solo artist, DJ Hyo expertly worked the crowd, craftly weaving her own music with hits of Girls Generation, which the audience apparently enjoyed. She also played her other tracks such as “Wannabe” and “Mystery” — dancing in between mainly for the benefit of the fans. Though rather conservatively dressed in a green ensemble layered with a floral polo with subdued makeup, DJ Hyo still exuded the K-pop superstar vibe. As she is still a member of SNSD’s sub-unit, Oh! GG, she reverts to her idol image from time to time, particularly when she performs with the five SNSD members who stayed with SM Entertainment.

A clean shift to an alternative — and equally lucrative career — may be what every K-pop star dreams of. DJ Hyo may not have completely cut herself off from Girls Generation but she has made already a name for herself. The GG connection may be difficult to set aside, but at least she has been able to slowly step out of its shadow.

Discovery World raises investment to expand Boracay resort business

DISCOVERY World Corp. (DWC) is expanding its resort business further with the subscription to more shares in a property owner in Boracay.

The listed firm told the stock exchange yesterday it is investing a total of P90 million to increase its stake in wholly owned subsidiary Balay Holdings, Inc. The company currently owns 800,000 shares in the unit.

“In today’s meeting, the board resolved to increase the said subscription by 34.2 million shares bringing the total amount to 90 million shares…,” it said.

The shares are priced at P1 each, equivalent to a total P90-million investment which will be used by the company as working capital.

“This acquisition is in line with DWC’s business and will create opportunities for expansion of the corporation’s resort business,” it said.

DWC first announced its acquisition of shares in Balay Holdings in 2018, when it said it was subscribing to 26.2 million shares in the firm. It eventually increased this by 28.8 million shares in December last year, bringing its total subscription up to 55 million shares.

The 34.2-million additional shares that DWC will be subscribing to is equivalent to 38% of Balay Holdings’ total outstanding shares. Balay Holdings must now submit a revised application to the Securities and Exchange Commission to increase its authorized capital stock to P100 million from P3.2 million.

“Balay Holdings is seen to own real properties in Boracay to be used as the staff house of the employees of the company,” DWC said.

DWC is a hotel and resort operator in the Philippines handling brands such as Discovery Shores Boracay, Discovery Shores, Platitos Resto-Bar, Sands Lounge, Indigo Resto-Bar, Sunken Pool Bar, Forno Osteria, Estate XI, 360 Roof Lounge, Terra Spa and Club Paradise.

It also owns transportation services businesses Palawan Cove Corp. and Discovery Fleet Corp. and has a majority stake in Palawan’s Cay Islands Corp. and Baguio’s Sonoran Corp. DWC’s Long Beach Property Holdings, Inc., which was formed in 2016, is currently looking to develop more properties in Palawan.

The company booked an attributable net loss of P10 million in the nine months to September 2019, down from P88.88 million in the same period in 2018, as revenues improved 83% to P732.04 million. — Denise A. Valdez

Pussycat Dolls returning to the Philippines in May

THE REUNION tour of American girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls (PCD) will make a stop in the Philippines on May 9 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City.

“I love all my girls so much and cannot wait to show you what we’ve got in store for you. It’s been a long time coming but this feels like the perfect time to remind the world what it means to be a Pussycat Doll,” member Nicole Scherzinger said in a release.

The group was initially meant to be a burlesque troupe, created by choreographer Robert Antin in 1995, but upon the suggestion of record executive Jimmy Iovine, Mr. Antin developed the group into a mainstream girl group in 2003. The original members of the PCD were Ms. Scherzinger, Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton, and Kimberly Wyatt. Their debut single, “Sway,” was featured on the soundtrack of the 2004 film Shall We Dance?

In 2005, PCD achieved worldwide success with its singles, “Don’t Cha,” “Buttons,” and “Stickwitu,” all of which are songs from the group’s debut album PCD. The album went on to become a multi-platinum record and sold three million copies in the US. To date, the album has sold over 9 million copies worldwide.

Three years later, the group released Doll Domination, an album that produced the singles “I Hate This Part,” “Out of This Club,” and “Whatcha Think About That.” The album was released to mixed reviews and in the same year, the group announced that Ms. Bachar was leaving to pursue a solo career.

The group then commenced on the Doll Domination tour and during the European leg of the tour, tensions ran high when Ms. Scherzinger became a featured artist for the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), doing a pop version of the theme song, “Jai Ho!”

It was also in 2009 that the group last performed in Manila as part of the Doll Domination tour.

The group officially disbanded after the tour after most of the members left, with Ms. Scherzinger remaining. There were attempts to revive the group with new members but they didn’t stick and eventually, Ms. Scherzinger left in 2010 to pursue her own career.

In 2017, there were rumors that the original members (except Ms. Thornton) had gotten back together and were thinking of going on tour. The PCD reunion was solidified when they were featured in the finale of X Factor: Celebrity in 2019 performing their biggest hits: “Don’t Cha,” “Buttons,” “When I Grow Up,” and their latest single, “React.”

The same year, the group announced its 2020 tour, unofficially called the “Unfinished Business” tour and the reunion tour.

“I created The Pussycat Dolls back in 1994 and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it would become one of the most iconic girl groups of our time. I’ve been working on making this reunion happen now for years, so I am very excited that the stars have aligned for the PCD reunion!,” Mr. Antin said in a statement. “It’s with gratitude to our fans and during this amazing time of female empowerment, to be able to announce the launch of our PCD reunion, celebrating all genders, and the brilliant success and talent of the girls that helped influence a movement that was long overdue.”

The Pussycat Dolls 2020 Tour in Manila will be held on May 9 at the MOA Arena in Pasay City. Tickets go on sale starting Feb. 29, 10 a.m., on smtickets.com. For more information, visit any SM Ticket outlets or call 8470-2222. — ZBC

Small firms advised to tout CSR opportunities to attract workers

ONLINE JOB search website Jobstreet.com said small businesses should compete for young workers with attractive workplace cultures and a social responsibility focus.

Jobstreet Senior Sales Manager Ryan C. Tordesillas told reporters Thursday that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) struggle to hire as they cannot compete with the salary offerings of bigger companies.

“We’re encouraging them to take a look at the data… It’s not all about salary. There’s a lot of other things you can offer.”

Jobstreet last year released its Laws of Attraction report that found that job seekers prioritize compensation, career development, and work-life balance.’

According to Jobstreet’s new analysis, MSMEs can emphasize their leadership style to attract top talent. It found that potential workers seek professional, respectful, and collaborative leaders in smaller businesses.

Job seekers also look for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, with Jobstreet noting that activities to protect the environment and support the employment of disabled people drive candidates to work for MSMEs.

He said young workers are more likely to apply for jobs in startups because they are willing to take risks. Older workers tend to seek more business stability.

Jobstreet said in a statement that jobseekers from certain industries are not drawn to startups, with significant lack of interest from those seeking positions in banking (50% not interested), healthcare (48%), computer information-technology software (47%), and engineering (45%).

“For start-up hirers to be able to persuade the reluctant job hunters especially the ones from the said industries, strategizing the employment process according to factors that these respondents are looking for in a job could be helpful in attracting them,” it said.

Meanwhile, Jobstreet is also working on improving access to job information outside Metro Manila.

Mr. Tordesillas said that people in the provinces are forced to go to Metro Manila or overseas because they cannot find work within their communities. He said that jobs in the provinces are often offered through referrals or announcements outside company premises.

“If you’re an SME, you can tell someone who’s tempted to leave their province, for example, na ‘di mo kailangan lumayo. May trabaho dito. (that you don’t have to go far. There is work here).”

The company has been working for the past two years on a project with local governments in the provinces to promote the website to job seekers.

He said the company has increased job postings in Bacolod, the site of the project’s initial run. Jobstreet aims to roll out the project in Laguna, Cavite, and Cagayan de Oro, among other areas.

Mr. Tordesillas said Jobstreet plans to conduct the Laws of Attraction survey regularly, in intervals of about three years. — Jenina P. Ibañez

PHirst earmarks P550M for Batangas property project

PHIRST PARK Homes, Inc. is setting aside P550 million as capital expenditure for a new project in Nasugbu, Batangas after its purchase of a 30-hectare property in the area.

In a statement yesterday, the affordable housing unit of listed Century Properties Group, Inc. (CPG) said the land expansion will enable it to build a residential community in Batulao.

It is targeting to launch the project within the first half of the year, and has started selling the first 13 hectares of the project comprising an initial 1,021 units.

“We achieved another milestone as we acquired one of the prime properties in Nasugbu, Batangas. We are very much excited for the opportunities to develop this into a showcase community,” PHirst Park President Ricky M. Celis said in a statement.

The project is envisioned to have a “mix of modern and rustic ambiance with tree-lined streets and wide-open spaces,” matched with a view of Mount Batulao. It would be different from other projects carrying the PHirst Park Homes brand as it will feature a commercial center and new eco-friendly house models.

“Future residents will get to experience a world-class development at an affordable price point. People can jog in the streets freely, kids can play in the park, or throw a party at the clubhouse — and be rest assured of utmost security and peace of mind when you are inside the PHirst Park Homes project,” Mr. Celis added.

The project site is along the Nasugbu Highway, which the company said is 1.5 hours away from Manila, 20 minutes away from Tagaytay City and 42 minutes away from the Nasugbu beaches.

PHirst Park is eyeing to roll out 10 more master planned communities comprising 33,000 homes in the next three years. This would boost its portfolio of five projects amounting to 8,799 units with a total value of P14.4 billion: the 26-hectare PHirst Park Homes Tanza in Cavite); the 20-hectare PHirst Park Homes Lipa in Batangas; the 18-hectare PHirst Park Homes San Pablo in Laguna; the 11-hectare PHirst Park Homes Pandi in Bulacan; and the nine-hectare PHirst Park Homes Calamba in Laguna.

PHirst Park is a joint venture between CPG and Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. Shares in CPG at the stock exchange closed 1.03% lower to P0.480 each on Thursday. — Denise A. Valdez

POEA sets deadlines for recruiters to report capitalization

RECRUITMENT agencies catering to land-based workers have been ordered to submit their paid-in capital compliance reports by the end of April, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said.

According to POEA Advisory No. 16 series of 2020, recruitment agencies and manning agencies are required to demonstrate that their paid-in capital meets the regulatory minimum of P5 million.

“All licensed agencies are required to submit proof of compliance to the required capitalization on or before 30 April 2020 for land-based sector and 04 September 2020 for the sea-based sector,” the POEA said.

The advisory is based on POEA Memorandum Circular No. 4 series of 2017, which required agencies to raise their capital to P5 million over four years.

Non-compliant agencies risk having their licenses suspended.

Corporations and partnerships are required to submit a Certificate of Corporate Filing/Information issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), indicating that net capital or equity is not below P5 million.

Single proprietorships must submit an Audited Financial Statement and Income Tax Return for the current year from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) showing equity of at least P5 million. — Gillian M. Cortez

Actor Johnny Depp takes Sun to court in ‘wife beater’ libel case

LONDON — Hollywood star Johnny Depp appeared in a London court on Wednesday to hear his lawyer argue that Depp’s ex-wife had lied when she accused him of beating her in comments quoted by the tabloid newspaper the Sun.

Depp, the 55-year-old star of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, is suing the tabloid’s publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor Dan Wootton for libel over an article Wootton wrote in 2018 calling Depp a “wife beater.”

Depp himself attended the High Court for the first day of the pre-trial review. The trial proper is due to start on March 23 and last two weeks.

Both Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard accused each other of physical abuse during their relationship. Heard first made allegations in 2016, which Depp denied.

“One of them is lying and doing so on a grand scale,” said a skeleton argument submitted by Depp’s lawyers and distributed to journalists.

“It is a very important function therefore of this libel trial that these allegations are tested, and either proved or disproved.”

The onus in the case is on the Sun to prove that it has not committed libel. It will argue simply that the article is not defamatory because it is true.

The skeleton argument requested that the court agree to hear witnesses living in California by video-link during the London afternoon, to accommodate the eight-hour time difference.

News Group Newspapers is owned by the New York-listed News Corp. — Reuters

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