ARA MINA FILED LIBEL AND COERCION CHARGES AGAINST CHRISTINE REYES

Following an alleged dispute over the remaining balance for a house they bought for their mother, actress Ara Mina filed charges of libel and grave coercion against younger sister Cristine Reyes not to claim money but to “teach her a lesson” for her attitude.

Mina was emotional in a press interview on Wednesday where she bared her complaint against Reyes for libel and grave coercion, which was filed at the Quezon City fiscal's office. According to Mina’s lawyer, Reyes allegedly asked her older sister to turn over Mina’s SUV as payment for the remaining balance for a property. If not, Reyes allegedly threatened that she will continue her personal attacks against her sister.

Mina said she tried to reach out to Reyes to iron things out but to no avail. “Hanggang makakapag-pasensya, magpa-pasensya ako. Punung-puno na ako eh, hindi ko na kaya, kasi kung anu-ano na ang sinasabi niya. Kailangan ko lang gawin ‘to kasi ayaw niya makipag-usap. Para maturuan siya ng leksyon, kasi hindi na tama ‘yung ginagawa niya,” Mina said. Reyes has been attacking her through text messages since she tried to resolve matters, Mina claimed.

"Kung ayaw niyo manggulo ako sa buhay niyo, bayaran utang niyo sa akin. Kung wala kayo pangbayad, ibigay niyo hinihingi ko,” Reyes allegedly said in one text message to Mina.

"I'm sure ibebenta mo ‘yang laspag mong katawan na pinagsawaan na ng lahat. Daig pa aso sa sobrang kati,” Reyes allegedly said in another.

“Nag-start lang nung sinabi ko na mag-usap tayo kasi marami akong naririnig na sinasabi mo," Mina said. "Tapos nag-freak out na siya. ‘Wag na raw ako mag-text kung wala akong magandang sasabihin. “Tapos tuluy-tuloy na, hindi ko siya sinasagot. Buong Holy Week, hindi niya ako tinantanan. Hanggang ngayon nagte-text siya sa sister-in-law ko. Pati ibang tao dinadamay na niya,” Mina added.

Reyes’s alleged anger stemmed from a disagreement on the payment for a house they bought for their mother, Mina said. But she added that this is not the “main factor” that pushed her to bring their dispute to court.

“Sinasabi niya bayaran ko siya. Hindi ko siya kailangan bayaran kasi ako nag-hulog ng [bahay] ng mommy ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sinasabi niya, kasi nasa pangalan niya ‘yung deed of sale. Siya ‘yung nag-down ng P1 million, ako ‘yung naghulog ng P2.3 million," Mina explained. “Kumbaga siya ‘yung may lumalabas sa akin ng balance, pero wala na ‘yun eh. Ang sinasabi niya sinisiraan ko siya dahil may balance siya sa 'kin na P500,000, [pero] pera lang ‘yan,” she added.

Mina asserted that she is only suing her sister because of her attitude. “Pinag-pasensyahan ko na ‘yung ibang ginawa niya before, pero this time marami na po siyang dinamay na tao. Naghihintay ako na, ‘Ate, sorry kung may mga nasabi ako,’ pero wala. Parang wala na siyang sinasanto,” Mina said.

Mina added that she was pushed to sue Reyes when she felt her dignity as a sister and as a person was stepped upon from the alleged threats. “Wala akong sinisingil. ‘Yung pagkatao ko lang. Lahat naman tayo nagkakamali, pero hindi darating sa point na gagamitin ‘yung pamilya ko para sa ganito,” Mina said.

“Mahirap sa ’kin ‘tong gagawin ko dahil sikat siya ngayon, ayoko siyang masira. Pero masyado niya nang hinahamak 'yung pagkatao ko, niyuyurakan na niya. Gusto kong ipaalam sa kanya na walang ibang tutulong sa kanya kundi kapatid niya ta’s ginaganito niya,” she said. According to Reyes’s manager Veronique del Rosario, their camp will wait for a copy of the complaint before issuing a statement.

Source: ABS-CBN News