Fiesta

Yvducj

By RAMIL DIGAL GULLE


Controversial entertainment columnist, radio and TV host Lolit Solis said that she harbors no anger toward longtime friend and fellow talent manager Annabelle Rama, even though the latter challenged her to a fistfight on national television.

In a Saturday interview over GMA-7's Startalk, Lolit told interviewer and co-host Butch Francisco that she bears no ill will toward Annabelle--a friend for the past 30 years--and called for a truce to end the tirades and controversies.

"Mahal mo pa ba siya ?" asked Butch.

"Oo. Kaya nga nagtataka ako bakit nagiging personal siya. Kung anu-ano sinasabi niya. Nagtataka ako dahil parang, parang ang tingin niya sa akin, na-link ako kay Eddie Gutierrez," Lolit replied.



Below the belt

Annabelle was angered by what she described as "below the belt" comments made by Solis and Diaz in their newspaper columns and radio shows following a snubbing incident between her daughter actress-beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez and Lani Mercado, actress and wife of Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr.

"Hindi ko maintindihan bakit sobra-sobra ang reaksyon mo sa pagtira sa anak ko. Lolit nakalimutan mo na ba kung saan ka galing? Dati katulong ka ni Mother Lily, hinaharbatan mo ko ng bag, ng pera, bininigay ko sa 'yo dahil mahal kita, nirespeto kita. Ngayon di mo ako nirerespeto dahil kinakalaban mo anak ko, pati mga apo ko tinatamaan mo. Ngayon Lolit Solis kung matapang ka, hinahamon kita sabihin mo saan, ano'ng oras gusto mo mag-upakan tayo ngayon din, ok sa kin!," Annabelle told ABS-CBN's Mario Dumaual.



Annabelle added that Solis threw thirty years of their friendship away because of her comments. She also said she was particularly offended by Lolit's claim that many women go crazy over Bong Revilla because he's "well-endowed".

In Annabelle's view, Lolit was implying that Ruffa also "went crazy" over Bong like those other women.

The "snub"

Earlier reports said Ruffa and Lani both attended the birthday celebration of GMA-7 executive Wilma Galvante and that Ruffa came up to Lani and tried to greet her with a buss on the cheek.

Just as Ruffa was bending over toward Lani, the latter turned away. As a result, Ruffa was left kissing the air. The beauty queen even joked about the incident on the March 2 telecast of ABS-CBN's The Buzz, where she is one of the hosts.

"My pretty, perfect pouty lips left hanging on air," she quipped, laughing.

Ruffa went on to ask Lani why she turned away. Ruffa then wondered if Lani was avoiding her because of rumors linking her to Senator Revilla twenty-five years ago.

"Wala po talaga akong maisip na dahilan and then siguro, inisip ng mga intrigero na parang na-link sa akin si Bong like 25 years ago. My gosh! Let's all move on naman. May mga anak na ako. Panahon pa ni Mahoma 'yon, di ba? "I mean, if it's that, God, it's like 25 years ago! I was only like 15, di ba? I don't see a reason na ‘yon ang maging dahilan."



These statements coming from Ruffa herself prompted Lolit, who is close to both Bong and Lani , to react and make the comments that so angered Annabelle.

Among other things, Lolit said, ""Ang ipinagtataka ko lang, ba't kailangang maging obligasyon ni Lani ang batiin ang kahit sino? Ang mga na-link sa asawa niya, eh, siya ang legal wife? Hindi pa ba sapat na civil lang si Lani at kailangan talaga, makipagplastikan yung tao sa mga nali-link sa asawa niya, sa mga sumasabit-sabit na babae kay Bong?"



Just talk

Lolit said that she never said anything with the intention of hurting either Rama or Rama's daughter Ruffa Gutierrez.

"Kung kakilala mo ako, gaya ni Annabelle, thirty years kami magkakilala, kung kakilala niya ako, alam niyang kung anu-ano lang lumalabas sa bibig ko. In the same manner na alam ko din na ganun siya.

"Like alam mo ba ginawa ni Annabelle? Tumawag yan sa telepono, minura-mura ako, chu-chu-chu-chu, kung anu-ano, tapos pinatayan ako. Hindi pa ako nakakasagot pinatayan ako ng telepono. Pero anong nangyari? Tumawa lang ako. Dahil alam kong ganun ang ugali niya. Yung nga talaga si Annabelle," Solis told Francisco.



Lolit then gave a message on camera to Ruffa. Lolit said that Ruffa started the whole issue by making those statements at The Buzz and complaining about Lani's supposed snub.

"Lagi akong nasasabit sa trobol dahil sa kadaldalan ko. Huwag kang sasabit sa trouble dahil din sa kadaldalan mo. Atsaka, ganun, huwag kang magdamdam halimbawa may binati ka, ayaw kang halikan, ayaw makipag-besobeso sa iyo," Lolit told Ruffa.



Lolit also had a message for her friend Annabelle Rama: "Naku, Annabelle, bisaya, huwag ka nang magalit sa akin, 'no? Hindi ko inaagaw sa iyo si Eddie Gutierrez ."



Legal action?

On Saturday, ABS-CBN's Entertainment Live reported that Ruffa Gutierrez is considering legal action against Lolit.

"I have consulted my legal counsel and because of Miss Solis' defamatory remarks against me that are completely false and off-topic, I'm now exploring possible legal action. I don't need this cheap publicity and rather focus my attention on my children, my career and furthering my education," she said in an official statement released to the press.

Lolit is perhaps well-advised to settle things with both Annabelle and Ruffa, considering that she is still dealing with an earlier lawsuit filed against her by matinee idols Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby.

What all parties involved should consider however, besides their ruffled pride, is the gracious, humble and classy response made by Lani Mercado. In an interview with ABS-CBN's TV Patrol Lani said:

"Ruffa wala akong intensyong saktan ka, tapos na ito matagal na, I have moved on, as you have moved on. Kung na-offend kita pasensya na. Sa susunod pag nakita kita babatiin na kita. Ang sitwasyon lang talaga nagmamadali ako at that time and many people can attest to that, sana magkaintindihan na lang tayo because we are mature people."



But then again, if more showbiz people were as level-headed and mature as Lani, what would be there left for us to watch in our entertainment talk shows?