The 124 counts of qualified theft pending against Lakambini “Lakam” Chiu cover only the first seven months of 2025, and her younger sister, actress and TV host Kim Chiu, says that is not everything she knows.
“What my legal team and I have filed covers only the period from January to July of 2025. There is so much more to this story that I am choosing not to disclose publicly,” Kim said in a statement released on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
The statement came out hours after Lakam, 45, was arraigned at the Quezon City Hall of Justice. GMA News’ “24 Oras” reported that she pleaded not guilty. Kim went to the courthouse in person, arriving with Star Magic head Lauren Dyogi, and did not speak to reporters.
At the center of the case is House of Little Bunny Philippines Inc. (HOLB), the handbag company the two sisters own. Lakam served as its corporate secretary and general manager, according to Pilipino Star Ngayon. Kim framed her decision around the company, not her own finances.
“There are things I cannot talk about because there is an ongoing legal process. This was never about my personal money. This is about a business which started in 2023, built with years of hard work, sacrifices, and dreams. A business I poured my heart into, hoping it would become my future when the time comes for me to step away from show business,” she said.
In a September 1 resolution, the Quezon City prosecutor’s office found enough basis to charge Lakam over transactions totaling P44,396,331.65, The Manila Times reported. The complaint alleges unauthorized online transfers and bank withdrawals from HOLB’s corporate accounts. Lakam has rejected that description, the Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) reported. She maintains the money was held in joint accounts with Kim and could be used for other ventures meant to grow the siblings’ investments.
Kim admitted the case has split public opinion. “I do not know where to start po. Sobrang nasasaktan po ako. People may have different opinions with my decision, and I understand that,” she said. She added that her silence on some details was deliberate. “There is so much I am choosing not to say right now. Not because I do not have a story to tell, but because there is a proper time and place for the truth.”
Police arrested Lakam on the afternoon of Sunday, September 20, in Barangay Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City. They acted on a warrant from Branch 84 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, which initially recommended bail of P5.838 million. Her lawyer, Dominic Solis, told ABS-CBN News that after the defense sought a lower amount, the court cut it by P200,000 to P5.6 million. It also allowed a cash bond at half that figure. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that Lakam posted the P5.6-million bail on Thursday.
The dispute became public on December 2, 2025, when Kim filed the complaint with the Quezon City prosecutor’s office at the Department of Justice building. Days before the arrest, Solis issued a statement for his client: “Our client is saddened by her sister’s decision to pursue the case but remains hopeful that the matter can still be resolved amicably within the family. She will address the charges through the proper legal process.”
HOLB’s counsel, Margrein Archernar Gregana, has disputed the idea that this is a private family quarrel. Gregana said the company, in which Kim is a shareholder, filed the action itself to recover missing funds. The lawyer added that the current complaint does not cover other years of Lakam’s oversight. “The corporation is duty-bound to act to prevent further financial losses,” Gregana said.
