Annabelle in Twitter rant over estafa charge

MANILA, Philippines – Talent manager Annabelle Rama is once again on a Twitter rant after her first cousin, Jose Vicente Rama del Prado, sued her for estafa at the Cebu City Prosecutors Office.

According to del Pardo, Annabelle issued him checks amounting to P1.5 million. But when he tried to encash the checks, it turned out Annabelle’s Banco de Oro account was already closed.

Rama’s father is the brother of del Prado’s mother.

The money Annabelle borrowed went to her failed congressional campaign in last May’s elections.

Notices of dishonor

In an interview with “Cebu Daily News,” del Prado said Rama was short of funds for her campaign.

“She borrowed from me and other members of our family,” said del Prado.

“I never expected a first cousin and a close friend at that to defraud me with bouncing checks in the same way that she might have defrauded other people,” he said in his affidavit.

“Until this very day and in spite of Annabelle’s receipt of the notices of dishonor that were served at her residence, she still refused to make good [her word] or replace the bouncing checks that she issued me.”

Final demand letter

Del Pardo tried calling up his cousin but Rama wasn’t picking up. So he gave his lawyer Mark Elton Garrote the go-ahead to send Rama a final demand letter dated June 18 to Annabelle’s White Plains home in Quezon City.

The letter was served by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the National Police.

On June 27, Rama called Garrote’s office to explain her side, according to del Prado.

“She expected funds to…pour in from her work as talent manager [and said] several [people had promised to donate to] her campaign,” del Prado said.

“During our meetings, she always mentioned to me that she was managing several actresses and actors [whom] she knew were bankable and from whom she expected to earn a lot of money.

“These were the very same promises [she made] in the past when she issued those checks.”

Del Prado is also seeking P500,000 in damages and an annual interest of 12 percent until the P1.5 million is settled.

Fuming tweets

Annabelle, who was out of the country when her cousin went to court, arrived on Thursday, August 8.

This is when Rama turned to social media with a barrage of fuming tweets (@annabellerama2) against del Prado, who called her a “hustler” and “social climber” in one of his interviews.

Annabelle has no intention to settle this case. She said she will fight this to the very end.

The tweets serve as Annabelle’s side to this story.

 

 – Rappler.com