Lawyer Celine Casanova of the Fortun Law Office filed Aquino’s one-page affidavit of desistance before the office of Rizal province Assistant Prosecutor Mariam Bien at 3 p.m.
The filing of Aquino’s desistance was kept under wraps and the press learned of the event two hours after the affidavit of desistance was filed. Reporters were awaiting Aquino’s lawyer Raymund Fortun’s arrival at the Rizal prosecutor’s office and were not expecting Casanova to file the desistance motion.
Reached at the Fortun Law Office, Casanova said she filed the actress’ affidavit of desistance, but refused to divulge the contents of the document without approval from her superiors.
"Basically, it’s generally requesting the withdrawal and/or dismissal of charges filed against Marquez," she said.
Fortun told The STAR yesterday afternoon that Casanova, a junior partner of the Fortun law firm, filed Aquino’s affidavit of desistance. "Now it is up to the fiscal to decide as to when the charges will be officially dropped.
Both the Aquino and Marquez camps decided to stop talking about their relationship gone sour once Marquez makes his public apology that is deemed satisfactory by the Aquino family.
Fortun said "the two parties (Aquino and Marquez) are aware of their respective responsibilities and will abide (by their agreement) in good faith."
Aquino, accompanied by her mother, former President Corazon Aquino; her brother, Tarlac Rep. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III; her sister Maria Elena "Ballsy" Aquino-Cruz and their lawyers filed the charges against Marquez on Sept. 29.
Aquino accused Marquez of verbal and physical abuse, infecting her with a sexually-transmitted disease (STD) and of cocking and poking a gun at her during a lovers’ quarrel inside a room in a condominium unit in Essensa, West Bicutan, Taguig a week earlier.
The Aquino camp delayed the filing of administrative charges against Marquez to give the mayor enough time to make a public apology, which he initially refused to do.
Aquino, Marquez and their lawyers talked Wednesday night and agreed to settle their differences amicably. Marquez made a public apology broadcast on television Thursday night, which Aquino accepted in a televised statement.