Darren Espanto, JK Labajo feud over ‘gayness’

Image: Facebook/@DarrenEspantoAuthentic, @OfficialJuanKarlos

Darren Espanto and JK Labajo have sparked a Twitter war over a phrase that Labajo allegedly said, which Espanto took as an attack.

The two, who are both 17 years old, were contestants in the first season of “The Voice Kids” and seemed to be friends even after the show.

However, Espanto has lashed out at Labajo based on an alleged tweet last Oct. 19, which said, “@Espanto2001 gayness at its finest.”

Image: Twitter/@Espanto2001

The “Dying Inside to Hold You” singer remarked: “Timing ‘no? Dinelete ng ‘hacker’ mo yung tweet na ‘to after kang kausapin ng management. Pag nahanap mo yung hacker mo puntahan niyo ako para malaman niyo kung sino yung totoong BAKLA. @KarlosLabajo”

(Timing, isn’t it? Your “hacker” deleted the tweet after management spoke to you. When you find your hacker, come to me so you’ll know who the real gay is.)

Fans have rallied behind Espanto and some netizens have said that his response has converted them into fans too.

“I’m not a Darren Espanto fan pero nung na-issue siya about this and how he deals with it, I’m a fan now!” JP (@jp_abaya) said.

“Ganun talaga kapag walang career. Gagawa ng ingay para mapagusapan. Yaan mo na, kanta lang ang meron sya pero respeto walang wala!” netizen @Aqueqang said.

(That’s how it is when you have no career. Make noise so you’ll be talked about. Let it be, he only has songs but he doesn’t have [people’s] respect at all!)

Labajo has supposedly said his piece on the feud in deleted tweets, as shared by netizen @bossnathzkie. He said he had tried settling the matter privately with Espanto.

In one tweet he said, “Eh wala nakinig ka sa mga fans mo… tinalikuran mo ang sarili mong kaibigan dahil lang sa mga pinagkakalat ng mga taong nakapaligid sayo.”

(You listened to your fans… you turned your back on your own friend because of what people around you are saying.)

“I tried talking to you in private but your ears were covered.”

The “Buwan” singer shared screenshots of a private chat allegedly with Espanto who warned him, “Prove it and man up! I am just here and ready to show the world who the real gay one is.”

Labajo countered, “Actually now I don’t think someone used my Twitter. I think it’s edited. You got great eyes check the photo.”

He also said he considered Espanto a brother since they met for the first time in “The Voice Kids”.

In other tweets he said, “Hindi ako yung nagtweet. Hahanapin ko sino nagtweet nun tsaka gulpihin ko.” (I didn’t tweet it. I’ll find who tweeted it and I’ll hit him/her.)

“Gulpihin ko ng pagmamahal (Hit him/her with love),” he added, presumably as a joke.

Since Espanto’s response, Labajo’s latest tweets say, “Alam ko pagkakamaling ginawa ko kasi I was explaining myself out of anger. Pasensiya na sa mga taong nasaktan sa mga salitang nabitawan ko.”

(I know I made a mistake because I was explaining myself out of anger. Sorry to those I hurt with the words I said.)

“Ang di ko lang kayang gawin ay humingi ng patawad sa mga bagay na hindi ko ginawa. Mamatay man lahat ng tao na mahal ko at nagmamahal sakin pero once and for all, hindi ako ang nag tweet nun at hindi siya ang pinaguusapan namin sa pbb dati. Yun lang yun.”

(What I can’t do is say sorry for something I didn’t do. Everyone I love and who loves me may die, but once and for all, I didn’t tweet that and I wasn’t talking about him in PBB before. That’s it.)

Image: Screengrab via Twitter/@KarlosLabajo

However, not all netizens took sides, with some criticizing both parties for using being gay as a slur.

“This Darren Espanto-Juan Karlos issue is pathetic,” said Vladimir (@NastyVlady). “We are months away from 2019 and this two still [use] ‘being gay’ as a slur as if there is something wrong being gay.”

“Please they’re really fighting over a single tweet, the fragile masculinity jumped out,” said @explicitalyanna.

“How is Darren Espanto cute and winning when he obviously responded to JK’s fragile masculinity with a fragile masculinity of his own?” wondered @Dyesselbellllll.

Others found the feud downright amusing, with some comparing it to children fighting.

jk labajo and darren espanto twitter fight aftermath pic.twitter.com/AZGQEgUzVJ

— chicken joy stan account (@aiansalaysay) October 22, 2018

https://twitter.com/romhotsauce/status/1054293135902203906

Here’s to hoping the two reconcile — without resorting to homophobic words this time. JB

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