Star wars in cyber space get ugly

A video diary that went viral on Friday shows deejay and TV host Mo Twister, unlikely ladies’ man, in tears because he says  his former girlfriend, actress Rhian Ramos, had an abortion.

Coming within a week of the messy breakup of ABS-CBN actors KC Concepcion and Piolo Pascual on national television, is this a ratings-propelled stunt, this time top-billing celebrities from rival networks TV5 and GMA 7?

“Traumatized,” was how GMA 7 insiders described the emotional state of Ramos since the video was posted on YouTube on November 28.

Purportedly recorded on July 28, 2010, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Singapore, the video shows Mo Twister, or Mohan Gumatay in real life, talking in whispers— and sniffling— before the camera. He  claims that Ramos was aborting their baby due to pressure from her family and her home network: “Rhian will go to [a] hospital here and get rid of our baby…. Her parents are tough on her. Her station, her channel, her manager are so tough on her, that [she feels there’s] just no other option.”

Not about to take that sitting down, GMA Network, in a statement released Friday night, announced that it was filing charges against Gumatay “for malicious and false imputations.”

Mo Twister and Rhian Ramos. INQUIRER file photo

Felipe L. Gozon, network chair and chief executive officer— and a lawyer— told the Inquirer  in an exclusive interview Saturday that Gumatay’s video was definitely “libelous.”

The video reeked of malice on Gumatay’s part, Gozon said. “He is out to destroy Rhian. Not to mention that it’s ungentlemanly. You shouldn’t talk about a former girlfriend that way.”

Jaded industry observers can’t help seeing this scandal as hype for the careers of both Gumatay and Ramos.

It doesn’t help that Ramos has a movie, “The Road,” in theaters, and Gumatay hosts two talk shows on TV 5, “Juicy” and “Paparazzi.” In his Twitter account, Gumatay said Saturday he would speak only on “Paparazzi,” which airs Sundays.

With ABS-CBN expected to have a follow-through on last Sunday’s stink bomb, it is safe to say that Sunday  will be gossip festival day.

Gozon asserted: “We don’t resort to stunts like this. It’s in bad taste.”

Perci Intalan, TV5 creative and entertainment production head, told the Inquirer : “If it was a publicity stunt, it would be to our benefit if Mo stayed longer. We wouldn’t have given him permission to leave if we wanted to milk the issue.”

On November 27, Gumatay announced on “Paparazzi” that he was quitting show business, to “hibernate” in New York after what had been a “rough and traumatic year.”

Interestingly, the video was released a day before Gumatay’s planned trip to the United States Saturday.

Gozon pointed out that he didn’t make it a habit to meddle in the private lives of network talents, but that Ramos’ case warranted his attention. The network was dragged through the muck, he said. “Our legal department was still studying the matter, but there were already a lot of inquiries from the press on Friday night.”

Sensing the matter’s urgency, Gozon checked the facts himself and decided there was a case.

Lorna Kapunan, who acts as Ramos’ counsel, told the Inquirer  that she will file for a Temporary Protection Order in Muntinlupa City on Monday.

Gumatay, according to Kapunan, violated RA 9262. The lawyer explained, “Violence against women covers not only married and live-in couples, but also dating relationships.”

According to Kapunan, they are seeking protection from the law because Gumatay earlier made several threats against Ramos through e-mail and social networking sites.

“Even if made on social networking sites, these acts constitute psychological and emotional violence,” she said.

Kapunan noted the 13-year age difference between the two. “He’s 34; she’s 21. He was manipulative” in their relationship, she added.

A source close to Ramos called the actress’ relationship with Gumatay “unfortunate.”

Gumatay claims he has no idea how the video in question was “leaked” online. Previously, however, he posted several messages on Twitter that put Ramos in bad light.

Ramos was shaken, according to a source, “but now she’s determined to fight for her rights.”

On Twitter, Gumatay claimed that he didn’t know who uploaded the video online. (The video, titled “RepairedMovie.mov,” was posted on YouTube by someone with the username “PrettyJenny55” on November 28.) A close friend of another notorious videographer, Hayden Kho, Gumatay claimed that he earlier sold his household appliances, including computers. He said he deleted all the files in the computers, but assumed that the buyer was able to retrieve the “erased” files.

Gumatay tweeted on Friday: “I feel terrible about it. I appeal to whoever is in possession of my personal files to refrain from uploading anything further.”

He was “apologetic,” he said. “I loved Rhian very much.”