Mark Joseph Solis and His Plagiarized Winning Photo ~ All Over the News

From Rappler.com:

MANILA, Philippines – A graduate student of the country's premier state university admitted to passing off as his own a photograph that recently won a contest sponsored by the Chilean ambassador.

University of the Philippines graduate student Mark Joseph Solis made the confession when Rappler contacted him by phone on Sunday, September 22.

"I'm deeply sorry. I'm in deep remorse. Right now, I already contacted the organizers and I'm about to contact the owner to personally convey to him my deepest and personal apology," Solis said.

It turned out, he had done this at least 5 times since 2011.

The most recent photo that Solis claimed to be his won the top prize in the Smiles for the World photo contest conceptualized by Chilean Ambassador Roberto Mayorga.

It came under intense scrutiny on social networks on Sunday after the real owner of the photograph, Gregory John Smith, revealed how "an impostor...abused my copyright" to the image.

Solis submitted a photo of a boy named Nilo from Zamboanga City. The caption stated that the boy helped his father to farm seaweed.

During Chile's National Day on Wednesday, September 18, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Solis was awarded $1,000 and roundtrip tickets to Chile and Brazil.

Smith, a social entrepreneur, said the photo belongs to the Children at Risk Foundation, which he founded. The child in the photo is from Brazil, not Zamboanga City, he said. - Continue reading

Meanwhile, here are some links to Facebook posts where this has been a hot topic:
Gregory John Smith (owner of the photo):
https://www.facebook.com/carfgregory/posts/420274791418020

Carlos Celdran:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151870486151131&l=c36349cdd0