BLIND ITEM: Kapaniwalaan natin, hindi marunong magsinungaling ang bata. Idamay na rin natin ang camera, it does not lie what it sees though its lens.
Hagip na hagip ng TV camera ang tila malagkit na tingin ng isang suspected gay relative ng isang nagwaging pulitiko sa ka-tandem nito. Kung tutuusin, the “gay’s” object of desire—despite his age—has maintained his yummy looks.
The not-so-young but definitely not-so-old politician na tinititigan ng umano’y bading seated behind him ay guwapo pa rin. Balita nga noon na ang pulitikong ‘yon, during his teenage years, ay nagkaroon din ng ilang karanasan sa bading.
IN FULL force ang pamilya ni dating Pangulong Erap Estrada moments before he, along with reelected Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, was proclaimed as the new Mayor of the City of Manila.
Nasa likod ng kanyang kinauupuan ang kanyang maybahay na si dating Senator Loi Ejercito at dalawang anak na sina Senator Jinggoy at Jude.
Earlier though, naroon din ang ngayo’y opisyal nang senador na si JV Ejercito. Ewan if at one point in their simultaneous presence ay nagkita ang magkapatid na Jinggoy at JV. But definitely, these half-brothers will have a face-to-face encounter at the august halls of the Senate.
Hindi lingid sa publiko na may kung anong ‘di-matibag-tibag na pader ang nasa pagitan ng magkapatid na ito. Clueless din ang publiko kung paano namuo ang kanilang sibling rivalry, and as to who between the two of them refuses to put an end to it.
One thing’s for sure, ang tila naunang nairita na si Jinggoy sa kanyang half-brother is more convinced than ever that JV is following in his political footsteps. At mukhang hindi ‘yon dahil iniidolo ni JV si Jinggoy.
With the two half-blood-related kin in the Senate, Jinggoy and JV are faced with even a greater challenge. Hindi lang mga suliranin ng bansa o mahahalagang isyu ang dapat nilang pagtutuunan ng pansin o pagdebatehan.
Patunayan muna nila sa taumbayan ang tunay na kahulugan ng pagkakaisa mula sa kanilang pamilya bago nila isulong ang pagkakabuklud-buklod ng mga tao in terms of their dissenting political ideologies, aside from unifying their fragmented political ranks.
DECEIVING ANG reaction ni LJ Reyes sa isyung isang buwan na silang hiwalay ni Paulo Avelino as though not a slight problem threatens to shake their relationship.
Pero mismong si Lolit Solis na rin ang nagkanulo sa kanyang source that yes, Paulo and LJ have broken up. Could it be the actor’s manager Leo Dominguez?
“Ah, basta tiyak na ipatatawag niya ako sa PAMI (Professional Artist Managers, Inc. of which she and Leo are members) dahil ibinuko ko na siya ang source ko! Ha! Ha! Ha!” ume-echo ang halakhak na ‘yon ni ‘Nay Lolit.
Strangely, the feisty manager is privy to the “privacy” of the couple. Inanunsiyo pa kasi niya sa Startalk nitong Sabado na ang Baguio-based family ni Paulo ay sa bahay pa raw ni LJ nagbakasyon. Sa mga hindi nakaaalam, ang pamilya ni LJ ay nasa Amerika where she gave birth to her child by Paulo, who failed to follow her dahil na-deny ito sa US Embassy.
Modesty aside, LJ comes from a well-to-do family, kaya ganu’n na lang kung kuwestiyunin ni ‘Nay Lolit ang umano’y laki ng agwat ng estado sa buhay ng dalawa, most specially Paulo who does not have a house of his own.
The irony there seems to be Paulo’s temerity to initiate the breakup. ‘Yun ba ay sa dahilang in terms of career, he has a bigger name than LJ? Nakatuntong lang ba si Paulo sa ABS-CBN (in fairness, it was the network that polished him kaya lumitaw ang brilyo nito, something he never had back in GMA) at nabigyan ng break kung bakit he got drowned in a sea of success?
Whatever the reason may be, showbiz feels sad seeing a couple blessed with a beautiful child drift apart dahil lang mas pinahahalagahan ng isa sa mga partido ang magandang takbo ng kanyang career.
Clearly, Paulo is missing a point here. Kumpara sa maraming matinee idol na nakabuntis at pinanlamigan ng kanilang mga tagahanga, Paulo’s fate took the opposite course. The public has not only received him warmly, it has also—in fact—glorified an “already taken” actor despite nasty rumors about him, about his quick ascent to that elusive stardom, and even about his recent uncouth behaviour before a TV crew.
So, para saan pala ang pagpupursige ni Paulo sa kanyang career given a home ruined, a family broken, feelings bruised and a dream shattered altogether?
Tama bang ipagpalit ni Paulo ang mga ito for such temporal things in life like a showbiz career that promises no tomorrow?
Pepperoni
by Ronnie Carrasco III
