Lawyer: Nora Aunor was never convicted of drug use

MANILA, Philippines—After President Benigno Aquino III admitted that drugs was the reason why he rejected Nora Aunor’s nomination as National Artist for film, her lawyer on Tuesday said the actress was never convicted of a crime involving narcotics.

“Nora Aunor was never convicted of a crime, let alone a crime involving drugs here in Los Angeles. I was the attorney who represented her,” lawyer Claire Navarro-Espina said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, broadcast journalist Cecilia “Ces” Oreña-Drilon in her Twitter post, said Espina told her in a text message that “there was never a conviction which means she is not a convicted person.”

Espina added that the actress was arrested for possession of paraphernalia and methamphetamine in 2005 in Los Angeles and was entered into a diversion program and successfully completed it.

According to her, the case was dismissed in 2007.

The lawyer deplored about the “misinformation” of the issue in the Philippines.

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