Maricel Soriano a no-show at hearing

Maricel Soriano. INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Actress Maricel Soriano was still a no-show during the hearing of physical abuse charges filed by two former house help at the Makati Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday.

The complainants, together with members of the media, were made to wait for more than three hours but the veteran actress did not arrive for the scheduled hearing.

The complainants, Mae Cachuela and Camille Acojedo, arrived at the office of Fiscal Paulo Talban together with their lawyer Tolie Estrella at 9 a.m.

Estrella said that he saw Soriano’s lawyer Raquel Taguien arrive at the prosecutor’s office but was surprised that her client was not with her. He added that Soriano may have refused to attend the hearing because many reporters were waiting for her.

Estrella also tried to call Soriano’s lawyer but her cellphone was turned off.

Fiscal Talban scheduled the final hearing on October 13 and if Soriano would not appear again, the case would be directly filed before the courts.

First posted October 5, 2011 | 3:00 pm