MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City prosecutors Office ordered on Thursday the mother of Dr. Hayden Kho to reply to the libel complaint filed against her by actress Katrina Halili.

Irene Kho, the mother of the controversial cosmetic doctor, did not show up yet again at the preliminary investigation of Halili’s complaint.

Assistant city prosecutor Rafael Villordon directed Kho’s lawyer, Paolo Pataja, who appeared on her behalf, to submit the counter-affidavit on or before July 9.

He also required that Irene Kho be physically present when she submits the counter-affidavit and swear to it personally.

Halili and Hayden Kho, who is her ex-lover, are locked in a high-profile court battle after a sex video of the two having sex circulated in the Internet.

Halili brought a complaint for libel against Irene Kho after the latter alleged in TV interviews that the actress was a drug user who introduced her son to drugs.

The complaint cited two interviews aired on ABS-CBN telelvision on May 25 and 26.

The actress alleged that the statements “were all calculated to induce the public into believing that the complainant is a drug user and a ‘pusher’ when [these] malicious assertions are false and unfounded.”

She said Irene Kho’s statements “caused dishonor and discredit to her person and reputation as an actress and a celebrity.”