Annabelle Rama posts bail for libel

MANILA, Philippines -Talent manager Annabelle Rama-Gutierrez has posted bail of P140,000, after being charged with 14 counts of libel for allegedly maligning Nadia Montenegro in her Twitter account.

The feisty manager was accompanied by a lawyer late Thursday afternoon when she went to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 92 to post the bond for her new battle against Montenegro, who had accused her of child abuse in managing the acting careers of Montenegros’ two daughters.

Judge Eleuterio Bathan of RTC Branch 92 set the talent manager’s arraignment on May 21 at 8:30 a.m.

Court staff said Gutierrez posted bail late Thursday afternoon, a few hours after the case was raffled to their branch.

The charges were based on the recommendation of assistant city prosecutor Diovie Macaraig-Calderon who found probable cause to indict Gutierrez for libel.

Montenegro, in her complaint, alleged that the manager maligned her in her Twitter account and in two showbiz talk shows and a news program last year.

In 2011, Montenegro first lodged child abuse charges against Gutierrez, who was managing the former’s two young daughters.

The manager then allegedly posted malicious comments against Montenegro on 11different dates on her Twitter account.

Gutierrez also allegedly maligned the other party in interviews aired on Showbiz Central on Oct. 2, 2011 and Startalk TX on Oct. 22, 2011 on GMA 7 and on Channel 2’s TV Patrol on November 4, 2011.

The child abuse case against Gutierrez, however, was dismissed for lack of probable cause.

Aside from the libel cases, Gutierrez is also facing two counts of unjust vexation and grave oral defamation before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court.