Dindo Balares (left) and Bimby Aquino | Image: Instagram/@dindo.m.balares
Dindo Balares, Kris Aquino’s close friend, affirmed that Bimby Aquino is heterosexual after fake news circulated on social media that the latter got “intimate” with a man on the beach.
Balares took to Instagram to denounce the fake news and emphasize that Bimby is not the other guy in the viral photos, adding that he is not part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“STRAIGHT SI BIMB (Bimb is straight),” he wrote in all caps. “Pati mga kaibigan ko sa entertainment media, nagme-message at nagtatanong tuloy sa akin (kahit madaling araw) kung si Bimby raw ba talaga ang nasa photos sa lumabas na fake news.”
(Even my friends in the entertainment media keep messaging and asking me [even early in the morning] if Bimby is really the one in the fake news photos.)
“Sa photos — na galing pala sa post na kuha sa engagement sa beach ng masayang gay couple — parang may hawig kasi kay Bimb ang isa dahil sa built ng katawan, eyeglasses, at pati gupit ng buhok. Kagamit-gamit para kumita sa social media. Pero hindi si Bimb ‘yan,” he added.
(In the photos — which turned out to be from a post taken during an engagement on the beach of a happy gay couple — one looks like Bimb because of the body build, eyeglasses and even the haircut. Useful for earning on social media, but that’s not Bimb.)
The retired journalist underscored that if journalists would second-guess the fake news, how much more would the netizens, as he stressed that he’s one to know if someone is not straight.
“Imagine kung pati journalists nga nagdadalawang-isip at halos mapaniwala na ng fake news, e, ‘di lalo na ang publiko. Sa comment threads, as usual, andami nang homophobic condemnations, judgments, at mahahalay na sinasabi,” he explained.
(Imagine if even journalists had second thoughts and almost believe fake news, well, what more the public? In the comment threads, as usual, there are many homophobic condemnations, judgments and obscene remarks.)
“Sa tagal ko sa entertainment beat, natuto ako sa mga katoto kung paano ‘umamoy’ ng closet queen,” he continued. “So, di maiiwasang may exams. May ituturo silang artista, especially young actors (newcomers), at pahuhulaan sa akin kung tunay na lalaki o bading. Mataas ang batting average ko, almost 100%.”
(For the many years I’ve been on the entertainment beat, I learned from the people how to “smell” a closeted individual. So, it is inevitable that there will be exams. They will point an actor, especially young actors [newcomers], and make me guess whether it is a real man or gay. My batting average is high, almost 100%.)
Balares then again attested that Bimby is straight, as he teased that he would tell more stories about him in the future.
“Straight si Bim. Sandali nga! Mabuti pa siguro siya muna ang ikuwento ko, patalastas sa series ng posts tungkol sa kanyang Mama Kris. Oo nga! Si Bimb na muna. Abangan!” he concluded.
(Bim is straight. Just a moment! Maybe it’s better if I tell stories about him instead of a series of posts about her Mama Kris. Yes indeed! Bimb first. Watch out for more.)
Balares is known for sharing stories about Bimby’s mother, Kris, who’s been seeking medical treatment for her autoimmune diseases abroad.
Meanwhile, Bimby previously trended after he took on the “boyfriend for a day” challenge and spent quality time with his “first girlfriend,” vlogger Erin Diaz, the daughter of actor-showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz.