The controversial daughter of former president Corazon Aquino yesterday diverted a nation's attention from new rumours of a coup attempt by accusing her lover of pointing a gun at her and assaulting her.
Kris Aquino, an actress, has been having a tempestuous affair with Joey Marquez, the mayor of the Manila suburb of Paranaque.
The public yesterday got an idea of how turbulent Ms Aquino's love life is when she filed a criminal complaint against Mr Marquez.
After filing the complaint, a grim-faced Ms Aquino emerged without makeup - which is highly unusual for her - and with a dark bruise on her left forearm.
She avoided the press. Her lawyer, Raymund Fortun, said that at about 9.45pm on Monday, she and Mr Marquez 'had a verbal argument which led to Mr Marquez pulling out a 9mm pistol, pointing it at Ms Aquino and cocking the same. After a split second, he suddenly removed the [gun] magazine'.
He said that before dawn yesterday, Ms Aquino submitted herself to a medical check-up, which found 'a number of physical injuries on the arms and neck'.
Mr Fortun declined to say what caused the lovers' quarrel.
Mr Marquez, a popular comedian, former basketball player and known womaniser, regaled a nationwide TV audience his version of the events.
He claimed Ms Aquino instigated the argument over an innocuous mobile phone text message sent to him by a woman. He said that when he refused to explain what the cryptic message meant, Ms Aquino accused him of having an affair with the woman, which he denied.
The mayor, who is estranged from his wife, denied pointing his pistol at Ms Aquino. He said Ms Aquino told him she would hurt herself and publicly blame him. He claimed it was he, not Ms Aquino, who was physically abused.
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