Image: Instagram/@sunshinecruz718
Sunshine Cruz opened up on past suitors in her younger years, who included actors Raymart Santiago and Keempee de Leon. She also reflected on making the wrong choice of partner and how she was able to grow from that.
The actress was grilled on “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on her reputation as “basted queen” for turning down enamored men who wooed and pursued her.
Talk show host Boy Abunda brought up names of actors and asked whether she was romantically linked with them.
The first name and picture that flashed on the screen was Albert Martinez. Cruz denied that he courted her.
The next five men, however, she confirmed as her suitors. These were Joko Diaz, Tonton Gutierrez, Keempee de Leon, Kier Legaspi and Raymart Santiago.
Based on Cruz’s account, all the men were smitten with her, but either she was not ready or the timing was not right. “Mababait sila (They were all kind). It’s just me. I’m really not ready,” she said.
She remembered that Gutierrez, who is 13 years her senior, had her name “Sunshine” tattooed on his chest when she was 17. At the time, she promised not to entertain anyone and asked that he wait for her answer.
Ultimately, they did not end up together because of her busy schedule and she was not ready to have a boyfriend. He is happily married to singer and actress Glydel Mercado.
De Leon, according to her, courted her four times and even fought with Santiago because he was first in courting her. Santiago reasoned that since Cruz had not yet answered him, he could still try to woo her.
Of those mentioned, she said she liked Santiago the most. “He’s very nice and he’s a real gentleman,” she explained. She believes that they did not end up being together because her mom was strict in requiring chaperones to accompany them on every date.
Santiago eventually wed actress Claudine Barretto, though they have been separated, with Barretto alleging abuse during their relationship.
Cruz’s first boyfriend would be her ex-husband, Cesar Montano; she was 23 and he was 38 on their wedding day. Their marriage was annulled in September 2018. Cruz has made allegations on Montano’s verbal and physical abuse against her and her daughters.
The actress mused on her choice of partners on Instagram on Thursday, Aug. 15.
“Sabi nila, sa dami daw ng ‘nabasted’ ko na pogi, matitino at mababait, first boyfriend pa tapos napunta daw ako sa mali. Naman! That’s life!”
(They said of all the handsome, decent and kind men that I rejected, I went the wrong way with my first boyfriend. Oh well! That’s life!)
“I had bad choices in my life (who doesn’t?!) but because of those choices, I have my three wonderful and beautiful children, I am stronger and up to this very moment, I try to be a better version of myself. Why? Because the people around me, who never judged me, who love, support and trust me deserve the best Sunshine. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Cruz has since been going strong with businessman Macky Mathay for more than two years. /ra
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