CA orders Lisa Macuja to pay damages to 11-yr-old student

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Appeals has found prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and her father, Cesar, liable for damages for revoking an 11-year-old's scholarship at their dancing school in 2003.

The appellate court's 11th Division affirmed with modification the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 104's decision on June 13, 2008 that denied the appeal filed by 11-year-old Marian Camille Chavez, Manuel Chavez and Carmelita Chavez.

The complaint was by filed Camille's family after she was stripped of her scholarship from the Ballet Manila, being managed by the prima ballerina.

Court records show that the girl enrolled at a ballet dancing class in Ballet Manila and was given a scholarship and a pas de deux role in the ballet school's 2003 Summer Workshop titled "Blue Bird."

However, on April 14 of the same year, Lisa asked Camille if she auditioned with the Ballet Manila's rival school, Ballet Philippines, which the girl denied.

Ten days after, the prima ballerina suspended Camille's dance rehearsals for the summer workshop and informed the girl that she was no longer a scholarship of their ballet school.

Court records said that Lisa told the girl that she can only attend the workshop if she would pay P10,000.

The camp of the Chavezes had asked the local court to be paid P335,000 in moral damages.

The appellate court, however, reduced the moral damages to P50,000 in favor of Chavez. The court also ordered Lisa and her father to pay Camille P50,000 in nominal damages, P10,000 exemplary damages and another P50,000 for attorney's fees.