ELLEN Adarna failed to show up Monday at the first hearing for a child abuse and cybercrime complaint filed against her, in connection with a “paparazzi” incident in May where she publicly accused a minor, on social media, of taking photos of her at a restaurant without her permission.
The case was filed by Myra Abo Santos, the mother of the 17-year-old girl whose photo was uploaded by Adarna in her Instagram Stories, after the actress did not respond to the family’s request for a public apology over the accusation.
On Monday, the preliminary investigation into the case was held at the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office. The Santos family, accompanied by their legal counsel, were seen at the venue. Adarna, however, failed to attend the hearing.
In a statement to ABS-CBN News’ MJ Felipe, Santos family lawyer Atty. Arnold Labay said the hearing was reset to June 11 due to Adarna’s absence.
The first preliminary investigation hearing already ended, no sign of Ellen Adarna and her counsel. The investigation prosecutor rescheduled another hearing and would like to give Adarna’s camp another chance to answer the case filed against her.
“Santos family would just wait for the child abuse and cybercrime cases to take [their] due course,” the statement added.
The hearing on Monday came four days after Adarna’s father, hotelier Alan Adarna, passed away due to cardiac arrest. The interment of Mr. Adarna is set on June 8 in Cebu City.
The legal battle and the death of her father are the latest in a series of headlines about Adarna in recent months. Despite her hiatus from showbiz, Adarna has been the subject of intrigues and speculation, in relation to her relationship with actor John Lloyd Cruz, with whom she is reportedly expecting a first child. (ABS-CBN News)
