Actresses Angelu de Leon and Maricar de Mesa (right column, top and bottom) back up socialite Neny Montinola (left column, top) in an incident which points the accusing finger at Patricia Panlilio-Cu-Unjieng, another socialite.  

Noel Orsal (Angelu and Maricar), Philippine Tatler (Patricia), Neny's photo courtesy of friends

PART I: Two celebrities witness "pepper-spray incident"

Jo-Ann Maglipon and Karen Pagsolingan

Friday, November 28, 2008
01:46 AM

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.

The two witnesses say that the incident actually unraveled in the early morning hours of November 19, Wednesday. That was the hour Neny was said to be making her exit. "It was around 2:00 or 2:30 a.m," the first source says. At just about the time Neny was heading toward the club door, the sources say, they spotted Patricia also going in that direction.

According to them, once Patricia got close to Neny by the club entrance, the much-taller girl gave the smaller one a big hug. This must have surprised Neny, speculates the first witness, who adds that, although at one point in their high-school years Patricia and Neny found themselves in Assumption: "They are just mere acquaintances."

While Patricia was still hugging Neny, says the same source, Patricia sprayed something in the air, which hit guests standing nearby. Then Patricia, she notes, sprayed the same thing directly at the face of Neny.

The two sources add that Ricardo, the man they named as Patricia's date and boyfriend, was standing just behind Patricia when all this was happening. But after the spraying, says the first source, Patricia "walked out of the club alone, casually," with Ricardo following soon after.

THE "PEPPER-SPRAY INCIDENT."  Just minutes after the big hug, says the second source, a commotion ensued. According to her, the other party guests began noticing a foul smell in the air, although no one could put a name to it.

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