One beautiful socialite, who is said to have used pepper spray against another beautiful socialite, has hurt Tim Yap's efforts yet again to rehabilitate the reputation of Embassy, the high-end night spot he co-owns.
Located at the Bonifacio Global City, Embassy has succeeded in attracting the rich and famous and influential by marketing itself as an "exclusive" club that promises patrons even more layers of "exclusivity" within its walls. Despite this—or because of this—the club has also attracted brawls, confrontations, and altercations among its well-heeled clientele.
Between two and two-thirty in the morning of November 19, socialite Patricia Panlilio-Cu-Unjieng, a former model and the daughter of the late jeweler Fe Panlilio, allegedly used pepper spray to hurt stockbroker and fellow socialite Neny Montinola.
Pepper sprays, according to www.PepperSafe.com, have toxic elements that can cause temporary larynx paralysis, which can induce gagging, wheezing for air, and the sensation of vomiting. At its worst, these toxins can cause painful sores on the cornea, and inflame the eyes' protective layer, which can cause blindness. In addition, for asthmatics, there is the risk of death.
In other words, a pepper-spray incident is not a simple misdemeanor. Yet, except for random blogs and a few vague lines in a broadsheet, no report of the alleged incident has reached the public.
A few days after the incident, Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) interviewed some people present at the club during the hours of the alleged incident.
Four of them, including actresses Angelu de Leon and Maricar de Mesa, have confirmed that the incident did happen.
However, a fifth, Ricardo Po Jr., has said that he saw no such thing, and that he was just "three feet behind" Patricia at the time she was supposed to have used pepper spray on Neny.
TWO GUESTS BACK NENY. Two sources, who refuse to be named but who claim to have been at the Embassy on the night of November 18 and the early morning of November 19, narrate what they saw.
They say Neny Montinola arrived at Embassy Fly around 10:30 p.m. She was spotted with a group of friends, which included actresses Angelu de Leon and Maricar de Mesa.
The occasion was the 40th birthday of Ilocos Sur Representative Ronald Singson, who was once romantically linked to Angelu. Ronald is the son of Luis "Chavit" Singson, former governor of Ilocos Sur and the man generally credited with (or blamed for) bringing former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada down. Ronald had reserved the club's Fly section for the night.
About an hour later, according to the two sources, Patricia Panlilio-Cu-Unjieng arrived with her date Ricardo Po Jr. The handsome couple joined a cluster of guests a few meters away from Neny Montinola's group.
Patricia may be remembered by the public as a finalist in the 1987 Supermodel of the World Philippines search, which Tweety de Leon eventually won. The tall and stunning model is separated from Philip Cu-Unjieng, an editor-at-large at ABS-CBN Publishing, although their marriage is yet to be annulled.
If society talk is to be believed, Trish, as she is called by friends, was once romantically linked to Side A band's Joey Generoso and businessman Jojo Manlongat. She is now the girlfriend of Ricardo Po Jr., an industry player from one of the richest families of the Philippines.
Neny Montinola is a petite and demure stockbroker who was once married to Mandy Boy Eduque, himself a society figure, who, according to The Manila Standard Today, is an "international currency trader." In her social circles, Neny is known as a graceful and lovely woman who has weathered single parenthood well.
