Lolit Solis files counter affidavit vs Piolo and Sam

Talent manager and showbiz talk show host Lolit Solis has filed a counter affidavit answering libel charges pressed against her by actors Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual.

Solis accompanied by her lawyer filed the affidavit at the Manila Fiscal's office in the presence of Pascual's and Milby's legal counsels.

In her affidavit, Solis defended an article she wrote for a national tabloid, stating that her description of the supposed "sweetness" between the two actors had no malicious motive.

"I never imputed any malicious or defamatory condition to either Piolo or Sam," Solis wrote in her counter-affidavit.

She added that the response of the two matinee idols to the article is to blame for whatever negative impact the article had on their image.

"It was the complainants' own acts of publicly presenting their one-sided, constricted and hypersensitive assessment of my article which fuelled doubts in the public's perception of their sexuality..."

Solis said that what she wrote was covered by Constitutional freedom of speech and expression.

"It is a fair report on two celebrities, made well within the ambit of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression"

Solis cleared that she was not joking when she said that she is wiling to give her service to the actors.

"'No hindi biro...I'm willing to do PR for Piolo and Sam habang buhay, habang nasa showbiz ako para mapatawad nila ako...pero I stand by kung anung sinulat ko...hindi ko babawiin yun."

She also said that she is planning to call up Mr. Johnny Manahan, talent manager of Pascual and Milby to say sorry and ask for their forgiveness.

"'Gusto ko tawagan si Mr. M. hindi ko kilala si Piolo at Sam, kaya hingi ako ng patawad kay Mr. M dahil alaga niya sila...baka mapatawad na nila ako."

The fiscal's office set the next hearing on January 17.

Actors Pascual and Milby, who both make a living as popular showbiz leading men and celebrity endorsers, filed libel charges against Solis on grounds that her article implying a homosexual relationship between them is false and ruins their reputations.

The controversial column by Solis was published by Pilipino Star Ngayon on October 15, 2007. Solis claimed she saw Milby and Pascual in the middle of a romantic tryst at the poolside cafe of the Hotel Sofitel last October 12.

The actors said that what Solis wrote is a complete fabrication.

Pascual and Milby are seeking P5 million each for moral damages.
Source: abs-bnnews.com