Jennylyn Mercado's ex-aide faces qualified theft raps

A Quezon City court recommended the filing of charges against Jennylyn Mercado's former personal assistant for allegedly stealing half-a-million pesos from the young actress. Assistant City Prosecutor Arleen Tagaban of the QC Regional Trial Court said Rowena "Mel" Pulmano, of Patis Road, San Mateo Rizal, had taken advantage of her position in committing the crime of theft with grave abuse of confidence reposed in her by Mercado. No bail has been recommended against Pulmano. "Respondent failed to adduce additional evidence that would substantiate her claim that she merely acted upon the instruction of Becky Aguila and that the latter had actually benefited the money," Tagaban added. Pulmano was accused of unlawfully and feloniously issuing checks in several occasions from June up to September 2008 to several payees without Mercado's knowledge and consent. The accused was hired by Mercado's talent manager Rebecca Aguila to take care of the actress' bills and other obligations such as car and housing loans. Pulmano was also in-charge of the actress’ banking matter such as deposits, request for checkbooks, and was given the authority to receive any and all papers, documents, checks, statements and other papers related to her bank account. Mercado said she discovered her PA’s actions when she checked her ATM account on October 6, 2008 and found out that she only had P20,000 despite earlier depositing P80,000. The actress later learned that she issued several checks to individuals that were cleared without her authority. She was also informed that a check amounting to P106,000 that she supposedly issued to Antonio Anonuevo has bounced. In her counter-affidavit, Pumano blamed Mercado’s talent manager as the one who instructed her to issue said checks of the actress. - GMANews.TV