MANILA, Philippines -- Former matinee idol Gabby Concepcion has pleaded not guilty to bigamy charges filed against him in connection with his marriage to actress Sharon Cuneta in 1984.

At that time, according to court records, Concepcion was still married to a woman named Jennifer Martin. However, the complainant in the case was not Martin but her driver, Mamerto de la Cruz.

The actor arrived in the sala of Judge Jansen Jansen Rodriguez of the Manila regional trial court Branch 6 at 10 a.m. for his arraignment. He was accompanied by his lawyer, Ed Flaminiano.

Concepcion, who arrived in the county from the United States on March 30, posted bail in connection with charges that he had falsified an application for a marriage license.

The case is pending in the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 5. It was filed in 1996 by the Civil Registry of Manila.

In a previous interview, Flaminiano told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the date the actor had placed in his application “antedated” his wedding to Cuneta in 1984.

“It seems there was something wrong in his application for a marriage license. It turns out he antedated the marriage license application,” Flaminiano explained.

The judge set the pre-trial for Concepcion’s bigamy case on May 8.