PICTURES of Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse and his wife Cecilia Cheung's private holiday in the Philippines have been leaked on the Internet, regional Chinese newspapers reported.

The media said the couple, who owned the copyright to the images, are now contemplating legal action against the photographer who they suspect leaked the pictures.

Sin Chew Daily said the pictures were taken in September 2006 when the couple flew to the Philippines to get married secretly.

Among the pictures were one of Cheung clad in a bikini and another of Tse proposing to her on his knees.

A lawyer told Sin Chew that as the couple had paid the photographer to take the pictures, both Tse and Cheung owned the copyright.

"The photographer can only claim ownership of copyright if Tse and Cheung failed to pay him," he said.

Cheung's manager, identified only as Chew, said she suspected the photographer was the culprit and did not deny the possibility of the couple taking legal action.

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