Annabelle pleads not guilty to 14 libel raps

MANILA, Philippines - Talent manager Annabelle Rama pleaded not guilty yesterday to 14 counts of libel filed against her by former actress Nadia Montenegro and Montenegro’s partner, former Caloocan mayor Macario Asistio Jr.

She entered her not guilty 14 times for each count of libel filed by Montenegro and Asistio before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 92.

The charges were for the talent manager’s alleged attacks against Montenegro on Twitter and on television last year.

The court ordered both women to try working things out before the Philippine Mediation Center, as mandated by court rules.

“The court told us to talk and undergo mediation proceedings and submit a report on its results a month after,” said Rama’s lawyer, Howard Calleja.

“Everything is possible,” Calleja said, when asked if a reconciliation between the two women was possible.

Montenegro said there was no possibility of a settlement with Rama, who used to manage her two daughters.

“I am not open to any mediation, I am not open to any settlement, I am not open to anyone who will try to fix us,” she told reporters. “We want her to learn her lesson the hard way.”

Asistio said Rama allegedly offered to settle their dispute out of court. He said he himself filed charges against the talent manager last May because of defamatory comments Rama allegedly made against his family.

He said Rama called his family trash “picked up from the street.” He is seeking P10 million in moral damages and another P10 million in exemplary damages.

Montenegro, reacting to the lifting of the arrest warrant on the libel charges she filed against Rama, called on the talent manager to stop using show business and political figures to reportedly influence people.

The next hearing is set on July 2.