Bianca Gonzalez cleared of libel raps [1]

ABS-CBNnews.com | 11/29/2012 8:20 PM

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Amalia's libel case vs Annabelle also dismissed

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) -- Bianca Gonzalez has been cleared of the libel case filed against her by Amalia Fuentes in connection to a published article written by the Kapamilya host mentioning the former actress.

Bianca Gonzalez. File photo

The Quezon City Prosecutor's Office has dismissed the libel charges filed by Fuentes against the "Pinoy Big Brother" host, after it found the article in question to be "a fair and true report of Bianca’s interview of Annabelle."

"[There is no] good and sufficient reason to charge respondents either for the article published in the newspaper," Second Assistant City Prosecutor John Patrick Corpuz was quoted as saying in a copy of the case resolution, as reported [12] by newspaper Manila Bulletin on Wednesday.

The article, "a Valentine's Day piece" published on February 12 in The Philippine Star, detailed Gonzalez's interview with Rama and her husband actor Eddie Gutierrez.

"Basically, 'yung article ko ay Valentine piece on Tita Annabelle and Tito Eddie, and Tita Annabelle, you know, she makes candid kwentos, and so the part about Ms. Amalia was a direct quote. Nakwento lang ni Ms. Annabelle, so it was just in passing like that," Gonzalez told ABS-CBN News in June.

In the resolution on Fuentes' libel case against the TV host, Corpuz also said that Rama "was just recounting past event/s in her and husband's Eddie's life during the interview. If ever, she revealed events in their life that involved Amalia, that was but part of the narration."

Meanwhile, Rama was also cleared of libel charges filed by Fuentes. In her complaint, the former actress cited as libelous a number of posts made by the talent manager on micro-blogging site Twitter.

The Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office maintained, online posts are not covered in the Revised Penal Code. 

"Although lately a Cybercrime Law was enacted, the acts attributed to Bianca and Annabelle as allegedly constituting the crime of libel took place before the enactment of the said law," Corpuz said.