Naghayag ng counterdemand statement ang kampo ng veteran showbiz columnist na si Cristy Fermin sa public apology demand ng kampo ni Dawn Chang.
Ngunit, sabi ni Cristy, wala umano siyang babawiin. Wala siyang dapat ihingi ng public apology. "Wala akong babawiin. Walang public apology," aniya.
Ang legal counsel ni Cristy Fermin na si Atty. Ferdie Topacio ay nagpadala ng sagot kahapon, Pebrero 12, kaugnay sa statement ng abogado ni Dawn Chang na si Atty. Rafael Vicente R. Calinisan.
Narito ang kabuuan ng sulat ni Atty. Topacio para kay Atty. Calinisan:
“Dear Atty. Calinisan: “Our client, Ms. Cristinelli Salazar Fermin, a.k.a. Cristy Fermin, has referred to us your undated ‘statement’ released to media, which we take as an open letter of demand, for her to make a public apology in relation to utterances made regarding your client, a certain Dawn Chang, who appears to be a dancer and show business personality.
“Ms. Fermin will respond to your demand in due time, and also publicly. We write this letter, however, to make a demand of our own, regarding some statements made by you as a lawyer of Ms. Chang.
“In your signed public statement—shorn of irrelevant discourses—you called our client a ‘coward’ and a liar, saying that her statements are ‘nakakahiya,’ using the word ‘gutter’ to describe Ms. Fermin, describing her expressions as ‘malaking kabastusan.’
“Worse, you strongly implied that you have control of the Philippine justice system when you bragged that ‘we assure you, we will send you to jail.’
“I need not quote to you the specific provisions of the Code of Professional Responsibility that you have violated by using undignified and intemperate language unbecoming of a member of the legal profession in your exercise thereof, and in undermining the confidence of the public in the impartiality of our justice system.
“While a lawyer owes his client zeal in the protection of his or her rights, such zealousness must not outrun the bounds of decency and tread on the territory of the impertinent and contumelious.
“Regardless of your personal offense at what you may feel are libelous words against your clients, you, as a lawyer, still has the bounden duty to comport yourself in a manner consistent with legal ethics and the proper conduct of a lawyer.
“It is ironic that while you complain against libel allegedly having been committed against your client, you have committed the same crime against ours.
“Therefore, let us be the one to give you, Atty. Rafael Vicente R. Calinisan, a deadline of until midnight of 16 February 2022, within which to PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE to our client who, it cannot be denied, is already considered an icon in the field of entertainment media, and who has been a writer and radio and television personality for several decades.
“Unlike you, however, we do not demand the publication of your apology in a full-page ad in any newspaper. We simply demand a letter of apology from you, which you and she may share with media.
“Your failure to do so within the time given by us will leave us no choice but to file against you the proper criminal, civil and administrative complaints before the proper courts and the Committee on Bar Discipline. It would be to your best interests to heed this demand.
“Very truly yours, “Ferdinand S. Topacio”
Ayon sa PEP, naka-text umano nila si Nanay Cristy kahapon at sinabi niyang magbibigay siya ng pahayag sa Lunes, Pebrero 14, sa kanyang radio program na Cristy Ferminute.
Bahagi ng text niya, “Sinabi ko na kay Arniel [Serato, PEP lead correspondent], yung Monday na lang ang pakihintay. Wala akong babawiin. Walang public apology.”
Pinanindigan ito ng veteran entertainment columnist na handa niyang panindigan ang lahat ng mga sinasabi niya.
Hindi niya babaguhin at lalong lalo na hinding hindi siya magpa-public apology.
“Ano sila sinusuwerte? Hahaha!” text pa niya sa PEP Troika.
Matatandaan, sa kanyang episode na "Cristy Ferminute," naging topic niya ang aktres na si Dawn Chang nitong Pebrero 11, 2022 sa kanyang online show matapos naglabas ng statement si Dawn laban kay Toni Gonzaga.
"Napa-righteous at sikat nitong Dawn Chang," sabi ni Cristy.
"Diba yun yung dancer," tanong pa ni Nanay Cristy.
"Talent din po ng ABS-CBN," sabi pa ni Romel Chika, partner ni Cristy Fermin sa kanyang online show.
"Oo nga, dancer yan na nasa ano dati, sa lunch time show nila," dagdag pa niya.
"Itong si Dawn Chang, kaya nagkakaroon ng mga trabaho yan, alam na alam sa ABS," aniya.
"Naku Dawn Chang, gusto mong ibulgar ko kung ba't ka nagkakaroon ng trabaho? Eh pa bash-bash ka pa. Ikaw ang dapat i-bash dahil wala kang mararating kung hindi ka nakikipaglandian sa mga boss," pahiwatig pa ni Cristy.
"Naku ha, Dawn Chang. Tumigil ka nga. Dawn Chang me," ani ni Cristy.
