In the heat of a TV host-columnist's contract suspension by ABS-CBN, let's rewind to exactly a year ago. Then, another entertainment writer was fighting a battle to protect her name and credibility—Lolit Solis.
The showbiz talk show host-columnist-talent manager had cameras and recorders pointed at her after the tabloid Pilipino Star Ngayon (October 15) headlined her "Take it, Take it" column with "Sam and Piolo, naglalampungan."
Lolit's column that day was about her seeing matinee idols Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby at Hotel Sofitel on the afternoon of October 12.
"Nakita ko 'yong dalawang lalaki na nagbubulungan... Si Piolo Pascual at si Sam Milby. Magkadikit ‘yong pisngi tapos bumubulong 'yong isa dun sa tenga nung isa," related Lolit, also in the show she co-hosts, Startalk.
Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual vehemently denied Lolit's claim.
On October 21, the actors, through their counsel, demanded an apology and retraction. In a letter addressed to Lolit, lawyer Joji Alonso stated: "In your article, you narrated that you saw our clients together at a Sofitel Hotel coffee shop, the previous Friday, 12 October 2007, at around 4 pm, their manner towards each other, unexpected from two gentlemen. Your article has left in doubt in the minds of the readers that you intended our clients to be perceived as gay men.
"Unfortunately, our clients were not in Sofitel on 12 October 2007. They were not even together on the said date. Hence, your story was without any factual basis, and clearly a falsehood.
"Besides being a complete lie, your narrative contained words and phrases that were indisputably defamatory, for they impute upon our clients a condition which is sufficient to impeach their reputation as matinee idols and hold them to public ridicule. Your article has undoubtedly shown your objective of maligning and injuring the reputation of our clients."
Lolit Solis stood her ground and upheld her story:
"'Yon nga ang pinagtataka ko. Ang sinabi ko lang, nakita ko sila dun sa coffee shop. Wala naman akong against kay Piolo and kay Sam dahil hindi ko naman sila kilala personally. Wala naman silang nagawang masama sa akin. Kaya sa akin, walang malisya yong pagkakasabi ko, nagkuwento lang [ako] kaya nagtaka ako ba't nagkagulo. Basta I stand in what I saw. Oo, basta nakita ko sila."
"Ngayon kung idini-deny niyo, ok lang sa akin. Nakataya 'yong kredibilidad ko pero nasa inyo na ‘yon kung paniniwalaan ako ng tao o hindi. Nasa kanila na ‘yon."
In self-defense, Piolo related that he was at a photo shoot with Angel Locsin for Timex; Sam said he was at Essensuals Toni and Guy Salon having a haircut at the time Lolit said they were at Sofitel.
At the height of the controversy, friends and colleagues of Piolo and Sam came to their defense.
Sam's manager, Erick Raymundo, even claimed that it was farfetched that the two were together, given that they were already avoiding further speculations on an alleged, media-fueled romantic involvement between them. "Simula nang mabigyan ng ibang kahulugan at mabalita yung paglabas-labas nila ni Piolo, we all decided na huwag na muna silang gumimik para na rin makaiwas sa mga ganung isyu. "
Piolo's friend, actor Yul Servo, was also interviewed: "Parang hindi na nga nahiwalay kay Brother [Piolo] ang ganyang intriga. Nakalulungkot nga kapag ganyan ang balita sa kanya, dahil kahit naman artista ka ay mayroon ka ring sariling buhay. Pero kaya naman niyang lagpasan 'yan e.
