Chiz thanks Kris for helping him campaign

MANILA – Team PNoy Senatorial candidates Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Grace Poe Llamanzares welcomed the gesture of popular television host Kris Aquino to join them in their campaigns in General Santos City on Thursday. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Escudero said he values Aquino’s endorsement, saying it will definitely boost his campaign in this last stretch before the elections on May 13. “Ano mang dagdag na endorsement, tulong at paniniwala at pagtitiwalang binibigay sa amin, malaking bagay at taos-puso kaming nagpapasalamat,” he said. Escudero said Aquino is one of the most trusted celebrities, considering her number of endorsements ,and he is hoping that Filipino voters will also trust her chosen senatorial bets. “Hindi maikakala, No. 1 endorser si Kris pagdating sa iba’t ibang produktong napapanood sa telebisyon. Marahil ganoon din pagdating sa kandidatura ng mga sinusuportahan niyang kandidato lalong lalo na mga kandidato ng Team PNoy,” he said. Llamanzares, for her part, lauded Aquino’s ability to connect with the people. “Siyempre maraming salamat. Si Kris marunong makitungo sa tao, magaling makipag-usap. Para sa akin naman po, ang endorsement ng mga katulad niya sobrang nakakatulong,” she said. After campaigning in General Santos City, Aquino, Escudero and Poe headed to Davao City to hold several more campaign sorties in the area. – from a report by Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/05/02/13/chiz-thanks-kris-helping-him-campaign

Read More

Chiz, Heart answer accusations point by point

MANILA – A month after Heart Evangelista’s parents Cecille and Rey Ongpauco called for a press conference to express their disapproval of their daughter’s relationship with Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the lawmaker finally took time to answer the accusations point by point. In an exclusive interview with YES magazine for its May 2013 issue, Escudero, together with Evangelista, directly shot down allegations that he is an alcoholic. “I drink. But do I like it? I’d rather drink Coke Zero. Mas masarap. Bigyan niyo ako ng alkohol na masarap. May masarap ba na alkohol? Nagpapanggap lang tayo na pag sinabi nating masarap yung wine, masarap yung whiskey, masarap yung cognac, sa totoo lang, ang sama. Masama eh... I have yet to taste an alcoholic beverage that actually tastes good,” he said. Evangelista also defended Escudero regarding a rumor that he got so drunk and angry that he shouted at her. “We’ve never really fought about anything. We are so happy, it should be contagious,” she said. 'Done that' Escudero said he also does not see the need to court Evangelista’s parents anew the old-fashioned way because it has already been done. It was Senator Miriam Defensor-Santigao’s advice to Escudero that he pursue Evangelista’s parents again to iron things out. Santiago is close to the Ongpaucos and she considers the actress her "surrogate daughter." “It was done already. Yung sinasabi ni Miriam na pag-iipon ng tubig, pag-iipon ng kahoy – figuratively, not literally. Really there was nothing to be done. To begin with, again, we didn’t see this coming. There was no problem, no issue,” Escudero said. With regards to the issue of not being well-mannered every time Escudero is around the Ongpaucos, the actress said she does not know where this came from. The actress described her boyfriend’s relationship with her parents before as “good” and “fine.” Evangelista stressed she also makes her own decisions, contrary to her parents’ claim that Escudero is manipulating her. “I can express myself. And that’s what I want. I always want to express myself. I always want to just to just stop proving that I’m like this. Or that I have to be like this. Or I have to follow this person—if I don’t, I’ll get in trouble. Now it’s like I’ve claimed the field. I can run as far as I can, and I can do cartwheels and do whatever I want without getting into trouble,” Evangelista said. Distancing self After all that’s been said and done, Evangelista told YES magazine that she has chosen to distance herself from her parents for now, in the hope that they will come to realize that she and Escudero did not do anything wrong. “Ayaw kong madala sa sitwasyon dahil natakot ako o nami-miss ko sila. I also need to figure out stuff. Even with Chiz, I think that I need this peace first to enjoy what we have,” she said. Escudero said he is willing to make amends with Evangelista’s parents but he doesn’t know how and where to start. “I would want that, if I know what to do. But you tell me, after everything said, after everything that has been done, how do you go about it? Again, you’re caught flat-footed, completely by surprise, about the things that are being said. You can’t even answer and defend yourself sufficiently because you don’t want to hurt them or other people. What would you do?” Escudero said. Despite finding herself in a collision course with her parents, Evangelista said she still loves her mom and dad dearly and will never get mad at them. “I’m not angry at them. And if I live my life, I continue with what I’m doing, I’m sure naman one day—if they are not ready to see me even from afar—one day they’ll be proud of me. I’ll make sure of that,” she said.


SOurce: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/04/23/13/chiz-heart-answer-accusations-point-point

Read More

Chiz compares story to Romeo and Juliet

MANILA, Philippines - He compared his love story with actress-girlfriend Heart Evangelista to Shakespeare's love tragedy "Romeo and Juliet," but expressed hope their troubles would be resolved. On Wednesday, April 10, Sen Chiz Escudero entertained media questions on his relationship after weeks of staying mum about the topic. "Akala ko yung mga kwento na bawal na pag-ibig, bawal umibig na mas mayaman, at Romeo and Juliet sa libro at sine lamang. Sana sa inyo na lang nangyari, hindi na lang sa akin," he told reporters. (I thought stories of forbidden love, preventing you from loving wealthier women, like Romeo and Juliet, are in books and movies only. I wish this happened to you, instead of me). But Escudero said he and Evangelista are doing "okay." "Okay naman but we can't deny that this is the hardest challenge we've ever faced as a couple. I hope we surpass this. Once we do, I don't think there will be any obstacle that we cannot overcome," he said. He emphasized it is still Evangelista who is caught in the worst position given the problem, saying she is trapped in the middle and feeling depressed. Escudero said he hopes her parents are warming up to him slowly. On Tuesday, March 19, the parents of Evangelista -- Cecile and Rey Ongpauco -- faced the media to publicly disclose their disapproval of the senator. The Ongpaucos accused Escudero of being an "alcoholic," calling him "arrogant" and accusing him of manipulating their daughter to go against them. Evangelista's parents have asked Escudero -- through the media -- to leave their daughter alone and have threatened to sue him for libel. Escudero has since denied the accusations, backed and defended by Evangelista. No care for numbers Escudero denied they have plans to get married, but admitted it may be something he sees in their future. "If there is a plan for us to get married, she would be the first one to know, not you," he said, adding "Everyone who is in a relationship hopes it will be for the long run." When asked whether he is concerned his relationship woes will affect his standings on surveys, Escudero said a slip in numbers would be out of his control. "I try to always separate my personal life from work. And if it ever affects my work, that is not my initiative or choice. I always say surveys are a snapshot of our countrymen's views. It will go up, it will go down; we've never said surveys aren't true. Do not compare me to other politicians who if their numbers or their coalition's numbers are low they say the survey is not true or paid for," he said. But Escudero also said whether he is on top or ranked lower does not affect him, as long as he is able to win a senate seat. For me, 1,2,3, and 4 are just for showing off. What's important to me is to make it to the top 12. Because 1 or 12, salary is the same, the term is 6 years -- 1 or 12, you are still a senator," he said. Escudero's numbers fell from the 2nd spot to the 3rd to 4th spot in the latest Social Weather Stations survey conducted from March 15 to 17, days before the controversy surrounding him and his girlfriend erupted. He experienced the biggest decline of all bets in the Magic 12.

Source: http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/25924-chiz-escudero-romeo-juliet

Read More

Escudero admits to being fish out of water in spat with Heart’s parents

MANILA, Philippines—Had this been a political squabble, the glib-tongued Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero would easily demolish the opponent with his charm and effusive language. But the reelectionist senator has admitted that his hands (and tongue) are tied in the case of a possible face-off with Heart Evangelista’s parents, Rey and Cecile Ongpauco. Evangelista, 28, is Escudero’s girlfriend for eight months now. Known as Love Marie Ongpauco in real life, she is the sixth and youngest child of the couple. Evangelista’s parents have announced in a press conference last week their displeasure over Escudero’s behavior and their fear that the senator, hardly a middle class dude, would be unable to support their daughter’s material whims in case they end up legally bound to each other. “Iba sana kung labang pulitika ito na may bumabatikos sa akin at kung ano-anong kasinungalingan ang sinasabi, napakadaling sagutin. Napakadaling ilagay sa lugar niya,” Escudero complained in an interview over dwIZ on Tuesday. But arguing with the parents of one’s ladylove is definitely a taboo. Not that the senator plans to. Escudero insists there should really be no quarrel with Evangelista’s folks at all as he had paid the proper respect to the couple. “Hindi ko ba ginawa ‘yan? (Didn’t I do that?)” he asked, referring to efforts to get close with the parents. “Gaya ng sabi nga ni Heart sa isang interview, lahat naman ginawa ‘yan at sino ba naman ang gagawa ng mga sinasabi nila na paninira. Lahat naman ginawa namin (As Heart said in an interview, we did everything, and who would do what they said I did which had besmirched me…We did everything),” Escudero added. At one point, the senator was reminded of their matchmaker Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago’s advice for him to woo Evangelista’s parents as suitors would usually do. “Ang kulang na lang hindi ako nag-igib ng tubig, pero may tubig naman ang kanilang (condominium) unit (I did not fetch water because their condominium unit had water),” the senator said jokingly. At one point, the senator who is often introduced as a native of Sorsogon, was also asked whether he tried his hand at cutting firewood like rural men courting women. “Hindi ako nagsibak ng kahoy dahil may kuryente naman (I did not cut firewood because they have electricity),” he replied.

Read More

Evangelista says sorry to Escudero, denies parents’ allegations

MANILA, Philippines—“Why? Why are you doing this?” an emotional Heart Evangelista asked her mom, Cecile, in a television interview on Sunday. “Mahal na mahal naman kita at hindi naman kita iiwan. Wala naman sa usapan na iiwanan kita. Anak mo ako, pamilya tayo. Tama na, tama na, mom (I love you very much and I will not leave you. There’s no discussion that I’m going to leave you. I’m your daughter. Stop, please stop mom),” said Evangelista in between sobs. “Walang mananalo dito. Lahat tayo masasaktan. Lahat tayo talo dahil nawala tayo sa isa’t-isa. Walang mananalo. Tama na (No one is gonna win here. We will all get hurt. We will all lose because we lost each other. No one is gonna win. Please stop),” she said. It was the first time that the actress gave an interview and broke down on television since the controversy between her parents and her 43-year-old boyfriend, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, erupted last week. Evangelista reiterated that her parents’ allegations against Escudero—disrespectful of them, always appearing drunk in their own house, seducing their daughter with false promises, among others—were all lies. She became emotional again when she addressed her 70-year-old ailing father, Rey, : “I love you very much. I know you’re watching me now. Ok naman tayo. Please, please relax and feel better kasi yun lang ang magagawa nating lahat, ikalma ang sarili natin (that’s all we can do, let’s be calm).”

Read More

Senator Chiz Escudero's ex-wife issues official statement appealing for privacy; denies allegations of physical abuse

May apela si Christine “Tintin” Flores, ang ex-wife ni Senator Chiz Escudero na nasasaktan dahil nadadamay sila ng mga anak niya sa kontrobersiya na kinasasangkutan ng kanyang dating asawa.

Umaapela si Tintin na igalang ang privacy nila ng kanyang mga anak. Pinabulaanan din niya ang balita na sinasaktan siya ni Senator Chiz noong nagsasama pa sila.

Walang ipinagkaiba ang sitwasyon ni Tintin sa former beauty queen na si Jewel May Lobaton na naglabas din ng statement kamakailan para pabulaanan ang isyu na battered wife siya ng estranged husband na si Senator Koko Pimentel.

Naglabas ngayong hapon ng official statement si Tintin dahil nababahala na siya sa kanyang mga nababasa at naririnig.

Narito ang kabuuan ng kanyang official statement:

“The recent issues involving my former husband and Ms. Evangelista and her parents have been very disturbing for me and my children.

“I am sincerely appealing to all concerned to please respect my privacy and that of my children.

“Whatever differences Chiz and I had in the past has nothing to do with that, and the false accusation about me being physically abused by him is definitely NOT TRUE.

“I don't think he can ever do that to anyone. I am saddened by the fact that this whole thing has turned into a media circus, thus affecting and hurting people who are not involved.”

Source:  http://www.pep.ph/news/38009/senator-chiz-escudero39s-ex-wife-issues-official-statement-appealing-for-privacy-denies-allegations-of-physical-abuse

Read More

Heart Evangelista on her parents' disapproval of Chiz Escudero: “Kung gusto n'yong magkahiwalay kami, hayaan n'yo na lang akong makapagdesisyon nun, please!”

Live na nag-guest si Heart Evangelista sa H.O.T. TV ng GMA-7 kaninang hapon, March 24, upang sagutin ang mga katanungan hinggil sa isyu sa pagitan nila ng kanyang mga magulang na sina Cecilia at Rey Ongpauco bunga ng pagpapatawag ng mga ito ng presscon upang isapubliko ang pagtutol ng mga ito sa kasintahan niyang si Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Unang tinanong ng H.O.T. TV host na si Raymond Gutierrez kung bakit nagdesisyon na sa wakas si Heart na magsalita tungkol sa eskandalo. “Siguro dahil masyadong madami nang nasasaktan, aside from me siguro. "Nahihiya na rin ako sa ibang mga taong nadadamay kaya I decided to speak today,” ang umpisang pahayag ni Heart. Matapos nito ay ipinalabas ang videos ng interviews kay Mrs. Ongpauco, at kitang-kita sa kamera na panay ang iling at iyak ni Heart habang pinapanood ang interview sa kanyang ina. Paano nakakaapekto sa kanila ni Senator Chiz ang kontrobersiya? Sagot ni Heart, “I think si Chiz, siyempre nai-stress siya, it’s election pero mas concerned siya sa akin kasi pamilya ko yung nasa TV ngayon, so… “Hindi naman kami masyadong nagpapadala siyempre, kailangang matatag pero mahirap lang talaga para sa akin.” Sa Twitter account ni Heart ay nag-post ang aktres ng mensaheng ito: “Today, tomorrow and the next will bring me heartaches. Why try to take away my happiness.” Sa tingin ba niya ay pilit na inaalis ng kanyang mga magulang ang kanyang kaligayahan? “Sa tingin ko, dahil magulang ko sila, gusto nilang mapunta ako sa mabuti at gusto nilang maging masaya ako. “Sa umpisa okay lang po iyon dahil siyempre hinahanap mo pa yung sarili mo, kung sino ka talaga sa mundong ito. “You grow and you learn but there comes a time when you have to choose what makes you happy,” umiiyak nang sabi ni Heart. “So medyo mahirap, actually mahirap na nandito ako ngayon dahil mahal na mahal ko sila, mahal na mahal ko yung magulang ko at ginagawa ko ang lahat-lahat. “Pero sana, hayaan na lang nila akong maging masaya, yung walang kokontra at walang pipigil kung anong nagpapatawa sa akin.

Read More

Heart Evangelista’s parents break down: ‘Escudero is an opportunist’

Cecile Ongpauco, mother of actress Heart Evangelista, is demanding an apology from Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero for being supposedly disrespectful and arrogant and for “manipulating” her daughter into “going against the family.” Evangelista was a “victim,” she said, and appealed to Escudero again to “leave my daughter alone.” In a phone interview with the Inquirer Wednesday afternoon, Ongpauco said Evangelista, the youngest of her six children, had moved out of her (the actress’) condominium unit in Makati City. The Ongpaucos have their own unit in the same building. “We don’t know where she is,” the actress’ mother said, adding that before the misunderstanding, she had a “beautiful relationship” with her daughter. “We were together almost every day. She would cook breakfast for me and her dad (Rey Ongpauco). We were OK,” she said. Mother and daughter were last seen together when the actress renewed her talent contract with GMA 7 early this month. Evangelista playfully refers to Ongpauco as her “mommyger,” or short for mommy and manager. During the contract signing, Ongpauco told the media: “Heart is 28 (years old now) and very capable of making her own decisions … She’s a woman now; I’ve had to adjust [to this].” Still ‘innocent’ But on Wednesday, Ongpauco was saying something to the contrary, expressing grave concern for her daughter, whom she said was “still young and innocent, overprotected as a child.” Evangelista “does not have a mature mind and still thinks like a young girl,” the mother said. “She is easily swayed by people who prey on her insecurities and lack of confidence.” Ongpauco added

Read More

Leave our daughter, Heart's parents tell Chiz

On Tuesday, Cecile and Rey Ongpauco, the parents of the actress whose real name is Love Marie Ongpauco, held a press conference to formally appeal to their daughter and Escudero to reconsider their relationship. The move of the Ongpaucos comes after Escudero's statement last month that he intends to marry Evangelista in five years. In an interview with ABS-CBN News' Mario Dumaual, Cecile expressed "concern about the future of our daughter." "She has not thought about this sufficiently or properly. We think she should think about this for a longer period of time. Nag-aalala lang kami sa anak namin," she said. Cecile went on to enumerate their reasons for opposing their daughter's relationship with the lawmaker. One reason she cited is that Evangelista and Escudero may not be able to marry as Catholics. 7 reasons Referring to the annulment of Escudero's marriage with his former wife Christine Flores last year, Cecile said: "He was married with two children and he got an annulment in court, but not in the Catholic church. That means he can only marry our daughter outside the Catholic church." "Our family, including Heart, is Catholic, so we do not wish for Heart not to marry in the Catholic church," she said. Cecile also cited the age difference between her 28-year-old daughter and the 42-year-old Escudero, and Evangelista's supposed lack of preparedness for a domestic life. "Natatakot lang kami para kay Heart, dahil para sa amin hindi pa siya handa maging isang asawa ng isang politician na napakatanda sa kanya, nang 16 years," she said. "Parati naman naming sinusuportahan si Heart. Hindi naman sanay si Heart sa gawaing bahay, o pagpapatakbo ng bahay, kasi masyado namin na-baby 'yan, overprotected, na-sheltered masyado," she said. The third reason for their objection, Cecile said, is Escudero's alleged "fondness" for alcohol. Recalling their first meeting with the senator, the Ongpauco couple said they felt disrespected by Escudero, who Rey even referred to as "lasinggero." "Sa aming experience kay Mr. Escudero,

Read More