Showbiz Roundup: Ogie Diaz, Sheynnis Palacios, Claudine Barretto, and more

(From left) Ogie Diaz, Sheynnis Palacios, and Claudine Barretto. Images: FILE PHOTOS

Ogie Diaz remained the talk of the town after being at the receiving end of cyber libel cases filed by Bea Alonzo, along with his fellow entertainment talk show host Cristy Fermin, but he reiterated that he doesn’t harbor any ill feelings towards her.

Reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios was emotional at her “homecoming parade” after receiving love from Filipino pageant fans, while Claudine Barretto said in a tell-all interview that she did her best to protect the reputation of her late ex-boyfriend, Rico Yan, even after his death.

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Ogie Diaz not mad at Bea Alonzo

(From left) Ogie Diaz and Bea Alonzo. Images: FILE PHOTOS

Ogie Diaz took to his Facebook Story last May 2 to say he didn’t want any more pretensions with how he would address the cyber libel complaints filed against him by Bea Alonzo’s camp.

Diaz said that while there is time to answer the allegations, he didn’t want to engage in hypocrisy. While citing his Showbiz Update program, Diaz reiterated what he claimed he and his co-anchors were always saying in their show — that Alonzo and her ex-fiance Dominic Roque would end up together.

On the May 6 episode of his vlog, Diaz reiterated that being at the receiving end of cyber libel cases is part of his job. He also clarified that he has yet to receive a copy of the cases filed against him, as they might get wind of them in “two weeks” time.

“Wala kaming choice kundi idepensa ang aming panig at kumuha ng abogado para maipagtanggol ang aming sarili… Basta ang importante, sa totoo lang, hindi ako galit kay Bea Alonzo. Naniniwala ako na karapatan niya ‘yan. Kung feeling niya na nasaktan natin siya [sa mga nai-report namin], karapatan niya ‘yun,” he added.

Insisting that he doesn’t harbor any “anger or hate” against Alonzo despite her filing, Diaz said he would instead focus on the “good things” he has done for other celebrities in the past.

“Wala akong naramdaman na galit or hate… Ayaw na naming magbuhat bangko at isa-isahin ang kabutihan at kabayahan na [ginawa namin] para sa artista… Kapag wala na kaming bashers, hindi na kami relevant,” he said.

Sheynnis Palacios sobs at ‘homecoming parade’

Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios sobs while clutching the Nicaraguan flag./MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES FACEBOOK PHOTO

Overcome by emotions, reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios shed tears because of the immense love she felt from Filipino fans at her motorcade at the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City last May 5.

The waterworks started when she stepped out of the red SUV that brought her to the parade’s starting point on Pacific Drive. In between sobs, she flashed her winsome smile and waved to the crowd who braved the intense tropical summer heat this dry season.

The Miss Universe Philippines Organization brought her to Manila and threw her a parade dubbed a “homecoming,” to let Palacios know that she could consider the country her home and to give her the experience she still had not had.

Tension between her national pageant organizer and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega had prevented her from coming back home after she became the first Miss Universe winner from Nicaragua. Her team was also not allowed to enter the Central American country.

Halfway through the parade, she pulled out a Nicaraguan flag, then cried again while clutching it tightly to her face and chest. She then laid the flag on her gown’s skirt bottom, and continued to return the love she had been getting from the people who were shouting “Sheynnis!” and “Nicaragua!” by responding with “Thank you,” and “I love you.”

Palacios then thanked the people for welcoming her to the Philippines and making her feel like it was her home.

Claudine Barretto ‘protected’ Rico Yan

Claudine Barretto honors Rico Yan on his 22nd death anniversary | Images: Instagram, @claubarretto/Screengrab from ABS-CBN Star Cinema, YouTube

In her first tell-all interview after 22 years, Claudine Barretto recounted the timeline of events leading to her ex-boyfriend Rico Yan’s untimely death, saying that she did not cheat on him and that she has protected his name as possibly as she could, even though both of them played a role in the downfall of their relationship at the time.

Sitting down with Ogie Diaz, Barretto was in tears, recalling how she dealt with Yan’s death and how she deeply blamed herself for the turn of events. She shared that she and the actor already broke up in November 2001, four months before his death but decided to stay professional as they were working on their movie “Got 2 Believe.”

“Nasa Ad Congress siya, ‘pag uwi niya end of November, may nalaman ako, and naghiwalay kami. Pero we were still staying under the same roof and ang usapan, January, moved out. He was really sorry. He was asking pa na ayaw niya pa umalis. So sabi ko, ‘Sige, let’s be professional. Let’s work pero hindi na tayo magkakabalikan kasi hindi na ako ‘yung magiging Claudine na gusto mo, na minamahal mo,’” she narrated.

Despite not fully disclosing Yan’s mistake, Barretto said what happened at the star-studded Ad Congress became her last straw. The Ad Congress at that time was attended by TV heartthrobs called The Hunks, namely, Yan, Piolo Pascual, Diether Ocampo, Jericho Rosales, Carlos Agassi, and Bernard Palanca, among others.

“Ang tagal kong prinotektahan ‘yung pangalan ni Rico. Pareho kaming may mali. Hindi ko lang talaga matanggap nung time na ‘yon kung ano man ‘yung nangyari during Ad Congress,” adding that came January 2002 she asked Yan to move out of their shared condo.

Barretto then clarified that Yan never got violent towards her, despite their fights at the time.

She further said she was spending time with Raymart Santiago, who was the alleged third party and became her ex-husband later on, because they had to attend gatherings in groups because their families were tightly close.

The actress revealed that Santiago was also in Subic at the time of her family’s trip as he was there for a separate gathering of a close friend, the night that Yan died.

Geneva and KC’s reunion

KC Montero and Geneva Cruz reunited on ‘EXpecially For You’ | Image: Screengrab from YouTube/It’s Showtime

Geneva Cruz couldn’t help but shed tears when she reunited with her ex-husband, KC Montero, on the “EXpecially For You” segment of “It’s Showtime,” as she reminisced about their good times as a married couple spanning 10 years.

The show’s hosts barely introduced them when Cruz began crying, fanning her face as if to dry her tears, as their pictures as a couple flashed on the screen. Montero then calmed her by mimicking her actions of fanning his face while looking at her reassuringly.

Cruz initially had second thoughts about joining the segment but after seeing him after several years, she’s happy to come. “I’m actually happy na ginawa namin ‘to. Medyo nagdalawang isip din ako nung umiyak na ako. But I’m really happy na magkasama kami ngayon ‘cause it’s been a while,” she said.

When asked what the reason was that led to the end of their 10-year marriage, the actress said that being apart from each other made an impact.

For his part, Montero opened up about his feelings at the time. “At that time, talagang hiwalay kami. Three months, six months, maybe even longer. At that time, maybe the feelings kind of faded for me, it was hard to communicate.”

Regardless of their ending, Cruz remained grateful that Montero and even his entire family loved her and her son wholeheartedly when they were together.

On her Threads page last May 5, Cruz clarified she doesn’t harbor romantic feelings for Montero anymore and instead, now sees him like family.

The actress then showed her support for Montero and his wife Stephanie Dods, in her post, saying she hopes they would “live happily ever after.”

Joey de Leon to Miles Ocampo’s ‘weight gain’

Joey de Leon earns netizens’ ire after ‘weight-gain’ remark to Miles Ocampo | Image: Screengrab from X

Joey de Leon caught the netizens’ attention after a clip of him seemingly “body shaming” his co-host Miles Ocampo circulated online.

In a now-viral clip, after the “Eat Bulaga” hosts sang happy birthday to Ocampo, former senator Tito Sotto used their segment “Peraphy, pataas o pababa” to refer to the actress’ age, and de Leon then jokingly said “pataba.”

Netizens took to social media to express their two cents and defend Ocampo from the subtle remark.

One netizen, however, came to the defense of de Leon: “Ok lang yan close naman sila ni Miles at ganyan talaga humirit mga matatanda.”

In April 2023, Ocampo opened up about her battle with papillary thyroid cancer, which she cited as the reason for her weight gain.

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