Nananatili ang desisyon ng kampo ng aktor na si Richard Gutierrez na ituloy ang P25-million libel case na isinampa nito laban sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal). Ito ay matapos ilathala ng PEP ang resulta ng imbestigasyon nila tungkol sa "altercation" diumano nina Richard at Michael Flores sa birthday party ng direktor na si Mark Reyes noong gabi ng March 28 at madaling-araw ng March 29.
Ang naturang four-part report ng PEP ay isinulat mismo ng editor-in-chief nito na si Ms. Jo-Ann Q. Maglipon at nailathala noong April 28, Martes. (Click here to read related article.)
Ayon sa abogado ni Richard na si Atty. Angelina Santiago, ang artikulo na inilabas ng PEP ay isa lamang daw "diversionary tactic" upang ilihis ang publiko sa tunay na isyu na paglabas ng PEP ng maling balita.
Dagdag niya, "PEP should be able to present their witnesses because, otherwise, kung hindi nila mapapangalanan ang mga taong ito, we can only conclude that these witnesses are either—like the original story—just a figment of their imagination."
Sa huli, nanindigan ang abogado ni Richard na tuloy pa rin ang P25-million libel suit na isinampa ng aktor laban sa PEP.
"INACCURATE" REPORT. Sa naturang artikulo, naisulat na nagkaroon ng "altercation" at "gun-toting" incident sa birthday party ng director na si Mark Reyes noong March 28.
Ngunit sa four-part article, na isinulat mismo ng editor-in-chief ng PEP na si Ms. Jo-Ann Maglipon, na lumabas noong April 28, lumabas sa imbestigasyon na "inaccurate" ang unang report ng PEP.
"PEP concludes that no altercation, squabble, heated argument, or fracas occurred inside the Oceana restaurant on the evening of March 28 and the early morning of March 29. Richard Gutierrez did not have a heated argument with anybody. He and Michael Flores did not get into more than the usual social exchange between acquaintances...
"...And now, after completing a relatively thorough investigation of events occurring inside the restaurant on the night and morning in question, PEP concludes that its March 29 report, 'Richard Gutierrez reportedly involved in a heated squabble with Michael Flores,' is inaccurate."
"GUN TOTING." Isa pang punto na nilinaw sa four-part article ng PEP ay ang pagkaka-misinterpret sa salitang "gun toting."
Ipinaliwanag ng PEP na hindi nabanggit sa artikulo nito ang "tutukan ng baril," na paulit-ulit na nababanggit sa ibang ulat ng pahayagan, TV, at radio.
Ayon sa PEP, "In no dictionary, whether print or online, does it say that gun toting means 'nanutok ng baril' or 'nagkatutukan.' No ambiguity exists in the definition of gun toting. It comes from toting, which simply means 'to carry.'
"Nowhere does the PEP article say that anyone pointed a gun to somebody's head or face or body.
"The article also never said anything about who toted the gun.
"Unfortunately, all sorts of interpretations and crack-pot embellishments have been inflicted on the original article by others. The biggest misinterpretation—nay, misrepresentation—of the PEP article is to have the phrase "may tutukan ng baril" attached to it.
"There was none of that!"
Kaugnay nito, nakasaad din sa four-part article ng PEP ang pag-amin ng aktor na si Epy Quizon—na nabanggit din sa March 29 article ng PEP—na mayroon siyang baril na hinawakan na pag-aari raw ni Richard.
Paliwanag ni Epy, "Yes, tiningnan ko yung baril. I held it. Pero I'm sure nakatutok sa ibaba. I wasn't swinging it around or pointing it at anybody or anything like that. Ipinakita lang sa akin ng bodyguard ni Richard. It wasn't loaded. May magazine, pero hindi nakapasok.
"Parang 45 siya, I'm not sure, kasi I don't know much talaga about guns. It looked grayish, like charcoal. I'm not even sure because the parking [lot] light cast this parang ibang color."
Sa ulat ni Aubrey Carampel kahapon sa 24 Oras, muling nilinaw ng abogado ng PEP na si Atty. Sandra Olaso-Coronel na "talagang hindi sinasabing may nanutok. It was just that mayroon nagpakita ng baril. Yun 'yong insidente na na-clarify doon sa course of the investigation."