Janelle Manahan a battered girlfriend - lawyer

MANILA, Philippines - Actress Janelle Manahan had been a battered girlfriend at the hands of slain actor Ramgen Bautista, one of her lawyers claimed yesterday.

Argee Guevarra said Manahan suffered beatings for two years during their five-year relationship.

“She does not really want to discuss the issue but she believes that this (Bautista’s violence) was the motive behind his murder,” Guevarra said.

“This violence extends to everyone in the family particularly the male siblings. He would hit them on the stomach or strangle them,” the lawyer added.

During the period when Manahan suffered from Bautista’s “fits of violence,” Guevarra said Bautista siblings and their mother Genelyn would come to her rescue.

“Tinatago siya ni Ramona at Gail, (Ramona and Gail would hide her) in fairness to them. Or doon siya tatakbo sa kwarto ni Genelyn (she would run to Genelyn) because Bautista respected the mother somehow,” Guevarra said.

The Bautista’s act of kindness toward Manahan could be the reason why they spread her sex video with Bautista, said Guevarra.

“Maybe they were expecting that Janelle would be on their side because it was they who protected her. But a murder is a murder and someone must be accountable for it,” Guevarra said.

Manahan filed a complaint against the mother and siblings of Bautista for allegedly being behind the uploading of their sex video on the Internet last month. She said the respondents had access to the video and the motive to upload it.

“In uploading the sex video, Ramgen’s family thought they could dissuade and cow Manahan from testifying against them for the murder of Ramgen,” Guevarra said.

Ramona and brother Ramon Joseph were accused of masterminding Bautista’s murder last Oct. 28.