Judy Ann Santos stands by Instagram post critical of President Aquino

MANILA, Philippines— “We are very professional enough to respect each other’s opinion.”

This was the statement of actress Judy Ann Santos, saying that she stands by her Instagram post critical of President Benigno Aquino III on the Mamasapano issue.

In a report by Pep.Ph, Santos said that she does not regret her post because it is her opinion as a Filipino.

“So, bilang mamamayang Filipino, yun bang pakiramdam mo lang ang sinabi ko, yun ang opinyon ko,” Santos told Pep.

“Kasi, parang nagkataon lang din na hindi lang pala ako mag-isa sa nararamdaman ko noong time na yun,” she added.

(So, as a Filipino, I said what I felt. That was my opinion. And it just so happened that I wasn’t alone in feeling that what at that time.)

She believed she is not the only one dismayed with the President’s handling of the Mamasapano issue.

Santos, however, echoed Kris Aquino’s statement saying that though they were not “super-close,” there’s always “respect and warmth” in their friendship.

During the height of the Mamasapano incident, the [residential sister had unfollowed some of her showbiz friends on Instagram for posting updates critical of her brother, including Santos.

But younger Aquino has posted on her Instagram account her exchange of messages with Santo, hinting about their reconciliation.

Santos said she never talked or met with Aquino after the incident.

“So, kung anuman ang nangyari noon na masyado rin… na hindi ko rin maintindihan paano nga ba lumaki masyado yun!” she said.

(Whatever happened before, I don’t understand how it got that big.)

Santos, days after the Mamasapano bloodbath, posted on her Instagram a screengrab of a National Journal article titled “Obama Cancels Schedule to Meet Returned Bodies of Fallen Troops.” The article was about US President Barack Obama canceling a trip to honor troops killed in Afghanistan in 2011.

She captioned the screengrab with “Just saying … Obama knows his priorities…” a reference to President Aquino who chose to attend an inauguration of a Mitsubishi plant in Laguna instead of meeting the bodies of the fallen police commandos at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on January 29. NC