Atty. Firdausi I.Y. Abbas limited his client, Lorayne Pardo, in speaking to the reporters who attended the press conference yesterday morning, September 24, at the Abbas Law Firm in Greenhills, San Juan. The meeting was about the Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide case filed by the Cavite Prosecutor's Office against Richard Gutierrez for the death of his personal assistant Nomar Pardo in the May 22 car accident.

Atty. Abbas said that from then on he will act as Lorayne's spokesperson so as to "cushion any reaction from the other side." Nonetheless, Lorayne was still able to reply to several personal questions that could not be answered by her legal counsel.

In one of her few replies, Lorayne was barely able to stop herself from shedding tears. She said she still has not moved on from the death of her husband, the father of her two kids.

"Siguro kung sasabihin mong natanggap, hindi naman ganun kadali matanggap eh," she sobbed. "Basta everytime... Sorry... masakit talaga, e. So, minsan kahit ayaw mo umiyak, talagang kahit matutulog ka na, darating yung time na sana nandito pa siya, na sana kasama pa namin siya. Kasi miss na miss namin siya. Miss na miss na namin ng mga anak niya. Even yung papa niya. So hindi mo masabi na natanggap ko na kaagad. Darating tayo dun, darating yung healing process."

SEPTEMBER 4 "BATALYON." PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) was unable to get Lorayne's side after the September 4 hearing in Cavite because the presiding prosecutor, Provincial Chief Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, issued a gag order on her and Richard's camp. (Click here to read related story.)

During yesterday's presscon, PEP took the chance to ask Lorayne how she felt during that hearing. She replied that she did not look when Richard's party—his mother Annabelle Rama, father Eddie Gutierrez, sister Ruffa Gutierrez, half-brother Ramon Christopher, Pilita Corrales, and his two lawyers Atty. Sheryll Mallari and Atty. Gener Asuncion—entered the preliminary investigation room where she was waiting.

"Ano bang gusto niyong gawin ko, makipag-beso-beso ako sa kanila? Nung nasa loob kami nung room, ako lang mag-isa, nasa first row, nasa left side lang ako. And then sila, buong batalyon sila kumbaga," Lorayne said.

Richard was also accompanied by Annabel's star talents Ehra Madrigal, Michelle Madrigal, Bubbles Paraiso, and Carla Humphries, plus Royale Era Entertainment publicist Jun Lalin.

As she sat on the front row directly in front of Annabel, Lorayne kept herself attentive and listened to the conversation going on behind her.

"Then sabi nila, ano ba, magko-concert na ba 'ko dito? Ready na ba yung mga back-up singers? So okay. Gano'n lang," she narrated.

Later that day, Chief Prosecutor Velasco called the two parties to his office to mediate a closed-door settlement.

PRIVATE TALK. Towards the end of the mediation, Prosecutor Velasco allowed Lorayne to talk to Richard personally. The two were ushered into a room connected to the prosecutor's office  and they talked for more than 30 minutes.

In the past, Lorayne said, she had wanted to talk to Richard to reach "closure," but she was not able to do so because Annabel Rama, Richard's mother, kept blocking the attempt.

Lorayne did not want to volunteer substantial details of the private conversation she had with Richard. She said, "Kasi sabi ko kay Richard nung time na nag-usap kami, ano man ang napag-usapan namin dun, dun na lang."

Lorayne said they talked mainly about the accident and about the possible settlement.

"Pero napag-usapan lang namin dun is regarding the accident itself. Tapos tinanong niya kung anong puwede niyang maitulong. Sabi ko sa kanya, wala akong hihingiin sayo kahit ano. Itutuloy ko yung sa kanya," she said.