Humarap ang aktres na si Heart Evangelista sa press conference na ipinatawag ng kanyang kampo kaninang tanghali, July 21, sa Barrio Fiesta sa Rochester Street, Greenhills, East Mandaluyong City.
Kasama ni Heart sina Atty. Archimedes Gonzalez at Atty. Camille Sevilla, na sa kasalukuyan ay tumatayong legal counsels ng aktres kaugnay sa isyu ng alitan nito sa Temptation Island co-star na si Marian Rivera.
Malinaw ang pakay ng press conference. Ito ay para ihayag ni Heart ang kanyang panig sa kontrobersiya na naging maugong kasabay ng promotion ng nabanggit na pelikula na magkatulong na pinondohan ng Regal Entertainment at GMA Films.
Hindi nagkaroon si Heart ng pagkakataon na sagutin ang isyu sa dahilang tumulak ito papuntang Brazil kasama ang kasintahan na si Daniel Matsunaga para magbakasyon ng tatlong linggo.
"SHE WAS NOT THE ASSAILANT." Bago tuluyang magsimula ang Q&A ng press conference ay minarapat muna ni Atty. Archimedes Gonzalez na basahin ang inihanda nilang statement bilang depensa sa isyu na ibinabato laban kay Heart.
Narito ang kanilang statement:
"As counsel for Ms. Heart Evangelista, I wish to correct certain disinformation that has been spread to the detriment of my client.
"First, my client has been portrayed as the assailant. This is false. She was not the assailant but the assailed. She was not the offender, but the victim.
"Second, her mother was portrayed as committing acts of intimidation in that she met her daughter at the airport in the presence of 15 policemen. This is false. My client's mother was accompanied by two NAIA employees whom she asked for assistance to pick up her daughter from the arrival area.
"Third, my client's mother is said to have in effect committed threatening acts against the other actress. This is false. No such threats were made by my client's mother.
"As a result of all these false and exaggerated accusations, four of my client's endorsement projects were put on hold. More damage was suffered by my client, because a TV project was also shelved because of the false insinuations against her.
"In short, my client's adversaries, may not only have committed the crimes of libel and grave threats against my client, but have also caused my client to incur damages in an amount that we will specify in a civil case that our law firm is still studying.
"We appeal to the media to hear both sides. My client has remained silent until now in obedience to the request of her home network not to speak publicly about the issue.
"However, the other actress spoke about the issue in an earlier press conference for a movie.
"Therefore, in self-defense, my client is forced to hold this press conference to air her side. Please help us to obtain justice in this forum.
