Lauren Young defends statement on Elmo-Janella abuse allegations
Lauren Young vexed some fans of Janella Salvador after she spoke up on allegations that Elmo Magalona physically abused Salvador, his former love-team partner.
Image: Instagram/@lo_young
Salvador and Magalona were known collectively as ElNella since they were paired as a love team in 2016. However, their partnership fizzled out when Salvador claimed that he abused her last October.
Janella Salvador and Elmo Magalona via Magalona’s Instagram
READ: Janella after the Elmo incident: I’m now seeing a psychologist
Young spoke to the Philippine Entertainment Portal about the issue during a press conference for her upcoming TV show “Hiram na Anak” on Monday, Feb. 18.
She said Elmo, whom she previously dated seven years ago, never harmed her physically. Young has also remained close to Elmo’s mom, Pia Magalona, who is her talent manager, and his older sister Saab Magalona.
Young said she no longer talks to Elmo and praised his mom as “the best.” “It’s unfortunate that there’s news like that,” she said.
“I know Elmo very differently. I mean, siyempre ang pangit kasi (of course it would look bad) if I would say I believe the girl, then what will my management say about it?”
“But if I say that I believe the boy, then everyone’s gonna be, like, ‘Oh, you’re a victim blamer!’ I mean, no matter what I say, someone will get angry.”
She also said that it was “none of her business” because she did not know Salvador personally.
‘Someone is lying’
“For me it’s either… I think someone is lying! Hahaha! I don’t know,” she said. “Sometimes, some people bend the truth, some people… sucks if it’s true, sucks if it’s not true. Then, someone is a liar.”
Her statement about one of the parties lying caught the attention of some of Salvador’s fans.
One fan with Twitter handle @super_faney said that kontrabida (antagonist) roles suited Young as she spoke of the controversy. The fan said that while her experience with Elmo was different, she had no right to imply that Salvador was lying.
“Ang wish ko one day may manakit sayo at sabihing nagsisinungaling ka pag kwenento mo (I hope one day someone hurts you and you will be called a liar when you report it)!”
“Say this to my face if ever you see me. I dare you,” warned Young. She advised the fan to read the entire article before becoming angry with her.
“[I don’t know] what happened between them, I just answered questions. And if I thought she was lying I would say it cause I’m not scared. But then again its none if my business right,” she added.
The fan responded with a picture of Salvador with bruises on her arm and noted that if the “My Fairy Tail Love Story” actress was lying, then Elmo would have refuted her.
Kaso may pagabol ba si @loyoung na kesyo "I think someone is lying". Eh kung nagsisinungaling si Janella. Bakit hirap na hirap si Elmong i-refute sinabi nya?? Hindi nag iisip tong sawsawerang to, etong malaking pasa sa braso ni Janella, nilagay nya sa sarili nya?? BOBA!! pic.twitter.com/BsvnTacuw8
— Super Faney (@Super_Faney) February 19, 2019
Seemingly fed up, Young replied, “Omg… I never said she was lying. But fine okay, yeah sure. Shes a liar, I’m a sawsawera (meddler) and I totally used this opportunity so more people watch my new show #HiramNaAnak. Happy? THANKS!”
Excuse me, I am very happy with my career as I always have consistent work. You are rude and if you were my fan I would be ashamed to have you in my fandom because of how you speak to others. Shame on you for behaving this way.
— Lauren Young (@loyoung) February 19, 2019
She called out the Salvador fan too for being rude after the Twitter user suggested that she do “bold” roles so her career would pick up.
“Excuse me, I am very happy with my career as I always have consistent work. You are rude and if you were my fan I would be ashamed to have you in my fandom because of how you speak to others. Shame on you for behaving this way,” she said.
Excuse me, I am very happy with my career as I always have consistent work. You are rude and if you were my fan I would be ashamed to have you in my fandom because of how you speak to others. Shame on you for behaving this way.
— Lauren Young (@loyoung) February 19, 2019
Another fan named Joi (@superjoinella) said Young was better off not talking about the issue because fans were hurt and “triggered.” She added that Salvador was not an “attention seeker.”
“I’m not going to apologize for doing my job: which is to answer questions during a press conference. My answers won’t please everyone, so be it,” said Young. “But like you said this issue is matagal na (in the past) and I’m not part of it so I won’t say anything else on this in the future.”
I’m not going to apologize for doing my job: which is to answer questions during a press conference. My answers won’t please everyone, so be it. But like you said this issue is matagal na and I’m not part of it so I won’t say anything else on this in the future ✌🏼
— Lauren Young (@loyoung) February 19, 2019
Joi hoped that Young and Salvador would become friends so that she would know “how good a person Salvador is.” In response, Young thanked her for being respectful.
Thank you! And thank you for being respectful! Have a good night!
— Lauren Young (@loyoung) February 19, 2019
Elmo has yet to break his silence about the controversy. While he and Salvador no longer have projects together, they last worked together on a concert tour in Canada last November, which was booked before the allegations came out. /ra
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