The Buzz report on the Panganiban-Barretto controversy

The controversy surrounding ABS-CBN's Angelica Panganiban and GMA's Claudine Barretto is getting hotter by the minute with verbal barbs flying between Barretto and ABS-CBN's Johnny "Mr. M" Manahan, reports PEP.ph. Barretto has previously said that she will file a "libel or slander" case against Panganiban for supposedly spreading rumors that she is cheating on husband Raymart Santiago with the best friend of Panganiban's boyfriend Derek Ramsay. On the other hand, also known as "Mr. M," head   of Star Magic, the arm of ABS-CBN which handles Panganiban's career, has defended the young actress through text messages sent to PEP.ph. "(Angelica) is feisty, irreverent and sometimes crude, but never a liar I only hope this nonsense stops before it destroys the perpetrator."

Panganiban is known to face controversies head-on, just as she did in her previous word war with Claudine's sister Gretchen Barretto that ended amicably. However, she has remained mum regarding this issue. Manahan told PEP.ph that Panganiban has chosen "the path of silence" because "What she has to say would be so compelling and devastating to Claudine's career... Angelica still has compassion for Claudine and rejects all the falsehoods attributed to her."

Panganiban's legal counsel Atty. Joji Alonso also said through a statement that Panganiban has been advised to "maintain her silence." The statement released on The Buzz on August 29 read: "She has not done anything wrong... On the contrary, it is Angelica who is being maligned by these unfounded accusations... It is hoped that with this statement, this issue comes to an end. Whatever more is said against Angelica shall be a cause for the filing of the appropriate civil and criminal cases."

For more on this story, log on to PEP.ph and ABS-CBNNews.com.