Annabelle vs Lolit vs Annabelle vs Lolit

The bosom buddies (or, shall I say, “soul sisters?”) are now mortal enemies.

Annabelle Rama vs. Lolit Solis vs. Annabelle Rama vs. Lolit Solis.

As the world knows, the two have gone through thick and thin, embarked on some misadventures and together survived a tsunami-like controversy circa 1994. Friends in need, friends in deed? Walang iwanan? Look again.

The two ferocious females are now engaged in a proxy word war on radio and national television, Lolit for her alaga Lani Mercado (wife of playful Sen. Bong Revilla) and Annabelle for her daughter Ruffa Gutierrez. It’s the latest spectator sport and we insatiable voyeurs are all ears, aren’t we?

Actually, the two unstoppable, unmitigated and unbridled femme fatales may have unwittingly made a mountain out of a molehill.

It all started when, during the birthday bash for GMA exec Wilma Galvante three weeks ago, Ruffa said she tried to give Lani a beso-beso but, she said, Lani dodged, leaving Ruffa’s “pouty, pretty lips” (as she herself put it on The Buzz last Sunday) kissing dead air.

A week later, Ruffa and Lani found themselves together at a wake where, according to a blind item, they casually “snubbed” each other presumably because there was a lingering resentment between them spawned by a rumor linking Ruffa to Bong many years ago when she hadn’t even met Yilmaz Bektas yet, her estranged husband.

Last Tuesday, Lolit defended Lani in a phone-patch radio interview with Ogie “Miss O” Diaz on his DzXL program Wow, Ang Showbiz!, saying that as the “legal wife,” Lani has all the right and reasons to “snub” any woman linked to her husband, adding in jest, that she suspected that women are drawn to Bong as moths are to the flame because of, ehem, “his size.”

Did Annabelle take it sitting down, lips sealed? If you knew her...

Early Wednesday evening, Annabelle was on the TV newscast defending Ruffa (because it’s her right to, right?) and challenging Lolit to a fight anywhere, anytime, and in any manner she wants to.

“She made Ruffa appear to be malandi,” Annabelle fumed.

Yesterday, Lolit was back on Ogie’s show to let off more mouthfuls, followed by Annabelle who had her own mouthfuls to fire not only at and against Lolit but also at and against Ogie whom Annabelle suspected of hitting her children (especially Richard Gutierrez) below-the-belt.

The war has escalated and, I’m afraid, if the UNUU (United Nations of Ususeros and Ususeras) doesn’t intervene and bring, if it can, the high-strung and highly-charged protagonists to the peace-negotiating table, it might be blown into a world war. You can never tell if, by making unsolicited comments, publicity-hungry senators and congressmen might join the brouhaha and unduly rub the wrong way members of the diplomatic corps tuned in to the lively local showbiz scene, and, heaven forbid, drag their respective countries into the whole mess. Imagine Barrack Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton and John McCain making a joint appeal for Annabelle and Lolit to, ehem-ehem, “cease fire.” The possibilities are frightening.

Oh well, what I’m saying is that aren’t the two friends (of more than 30 years) wasting precious time (air- and other-wise) over something very petty (while the two other ladies involved — I mean, Lani and Ruffa — have opted to keep mum and their cool)?

Said Lolit with a little laugh, “It’s embarrassing. Ang tatanda na namin, nag-aaway pa kami ng ganito!”

Threatened Anabelle, “Watch me on The Buzz on Sunday (March 9). Marami pa akong sasabihin!”

Lolit and Annabelle being both my friends, I stay neutral, enjoying the whole spectacle with a little smile like everybody else.

My fearless forecast?

The two will bury the hatchet (not on each other’s backs, hopefully), let bygones be bygones, sweep that little misunderstanding into the dump and...well, happy days will be here again! Remember, it’s the Lenten Season.

Besides, what are friends for, anyway?

(Postscript: Lani apologized to Ruffa before she and Bong left for the US the other day.)

Reader’s reaction:

From reader Earl Torres, this clarification:

I would like to call your attention to the “beauty experts’” story about the Bb. Pilipinas candidates. Candidate No. 2’s name is not Patricia Francisco but Patricia Fernandez (photo). The write-up about her personal background was correct.

Incidentally, there is another candidate by the name of Patricia Francisco (Candidate No. 19).  Since text votes play a vital role in this contest, texters voting for No. 2 (Patricia Fernandez) might end up with their text votes credited to Patricia Francisco.

Please correct this immediately in your next column so as not to prejudice Patricia Fernandez’s candidacy. 

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