How Albert Martinez helps Liezl battle illness

ALBERT and Liezl Martinez: Together in good times and bad

Albert Martinez would rather keep mum about the squabble between his mother-in-law, Amalia Fuentes, and talent manager Annabelle Rama “because getting involved would help no one.”

The feud between the two feisty women began in April, when Annabelle attended the wake of Amalia’s husband, Joe Stevens, reportedly wearing a red outfit. This offended Amalia, and a word war between them ensued on Twitter. This resulted in Amalia filing a libel suit against Annabelle’s daughter Ruffa Gutierrez, whom she accused of posting malicious comments about her on the Web.

“I don’t meddle … I’d rather keep quiet, especially if what I say or do will not improve the situation,” Albert told the Inquirer. “I have no problem with my mother-in-law. It’s just that … right now, I have so much on my plate.”

In remission

Albert’s wife, former actress Liezl Martinez, has been battling breast cancer for four years now. In December 2010, she announced that her cancer was in remission. “She’s okay now,” Albert said. “She is being examined periodically to monitor her health.”

He said Liezl became depressed when she first found out about her illness. “But she has come to accept it, knowing her entire family is behind her. We’re all doing our part to help her fight, and taking one day at a time.”

Albert said his part consists mainly of making sure Liezl lives “as normal a life as possible.” He explained: “We simply enjoy family life. We travel — that’s Liezl’s favorite thing. Every opportunity, every break I get, we go somewhere to relax.”

He is happy that her work as board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) helps take her mind off things. “She’s excited to wake up every morning to go to work. She obviously enjoys what she’s doing.”

Liezl was a member of the adjudication committee that issued a 20-day preventive suspension against the TV5 public affairs program “T3: Kapatid, Sagot Kita.” In the program’s May 7 episode, hosts Ben, Raffy and Erwin Tulfo threatened Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto following the mauling of their eldest brother, Inquirer columnist Mon Tulfo.

Albert said they didn’t even discuss the case. “Liezl is a very fair person. She was just part of a team. It wasn’t a personal thing.”

The actor is currently in the cast of ABS-CBN’s fantasy-drama, “Princess and I.”