Kris & Joey: What the celebrities have to say

Everyone seems to have an opinion regarding this raging controversy about the violent breakup of Kris Aquino and Parañaque Mayor Joey Marquez.

Surely, everyone wants to know the latest developments about this "national issue." Aside from that, everyone is also curious as to how it will end.

I interviewed some members of the entertainment profession to find out what they have to say about this issue, how it will end – plus how it has affected the country because this is one subject that is the topic of every conversation this side of the globe.

Rosanna Roces, a newsmaker herself (everything she does also becomes front page stuff – remember her controversial dress four years ago?), takes her hat off to Kris Aquino with the way she has gone public with regard to the STD angle of this case. "Look, ganito na ako katapang," says Osang, who is known for her fearless comments in Startalk, pero kung ako ang nagkaroon ng STD, I don’t think I will have the guts to admit that publicly."

Osang admits that she has no idea how this issue will end – "pero sana lumabas kung ano ang totoo.’ She adds that she is happiest for Mrs. Aquino "kasi, finally, nagising na si Kris at nagbalik na ang prodigal daughter sa kanyang ina."

According to Osang, what happened to Kris wasn’t all that senseless and useless. She says: "Kris opened everyone’s eyes about the issue of battery in this country and I am among those who can identify with that." (Osang herself was a victim of battery in the hands of a man from a previous relationship.) "I really sympathize with her especially since I noticed that she didn’t even cry when she talked about it in the interview. That could only mean na sagad na talaga siya."

Just as important as the battery issue, Osang believes that the Kris-Joey controversy also reminded everyone of safe sex and that we can now all openly talk about it in this rather conservative and hypocritical society.

On the part of German Moreno, who gave Kris her big break on television by including her in GMA Supershows many years ago, the Master Showman is no longer surprised about the fact that the whole country is talking about Kris and Joey at the moment. "Whatever happens to Kris will always be talked about," he says. "When she fell off the stage in my show, di ba pinag-usapan ’yon?"

With regard to the overall effect of this issue on the Filipino people, Kuya Germs insists that "it’s a lesson for everyone – na dapat pag-isipan kung anuman ang relationship na papasukin natin."

How does he think this will end? "They started it, they should also know how to end it," he says, shaking his head.

Will the case reach the courts? "Kung magka-demandahan ba, do you think that will help?" he throws back the question.

Like German Moreno, Lolit Solis is part of Kris Aquino’s career since they were manager and ward at one time. "My heart bleeds for Cory Aquino," says Lolit, a mother herself. "But I suppose, why it happened also has a purpose. It serves as a big lesson para sa mga babae na pumapatol sa may asawa at sa mga lalaking sobra ang hilig sa babae."

Its effect on the country? "It became a leveling factor," believes Lolit. "Siguro naman bukas na ang mga mata natin sa katotohanang lahat tayo ay puedeng magkaroon ng STD. If this happened to Kris na napaka-linis sa katawan, it can happen to anyone – and so we must all be careful."

Even our new movie stars have something to say about the Kris-Joey issue. Andrea del Rosario, for instance, believes we shouldn’t pass judgment on anyone. At the same time, she also feels that something good has come out of the whole thing and she’s referring to the wife battery issue. "My own mother was a battered wife and with Kris talking openly about this, it can serve as a wakeup call for women not to allow men to abuse them whether physically or emotionally," she says.

Andrea was among those who sensed early on that there would be a big issue concerning Kris. She relates that on the night Kris and Joey quarreled, she was at the ABS-CBN studio along with the other Hot Babes members – all set to tape an episode of Kris’ reformatted program, Next Level, Game Ka Na Ba? "We were waiting for Kris to arrive – until we were told na pack-up na kasi nasira daw ’yung isang gadget. Later, somebody admitted that there was another reason why the taping had to be canceled. I guess ‘yun na yon," reveals Andrea.

The Kris-Joey controversy has clearly affected the work of media men – particularly those in TV news. Since this ongoing scandal is of interest to everyone, members of the television news teams deplore the fact that more important stories have to be bumped off these days to give way to any development pertaining to Kris and Joey.

Cesar Apolinario of GMA News, for instance, laments the fact that his story about the bar exam scandal had to be shortened because, well, the viewers are more interested about Joey and Kris.

Adds Lhar Santiago, who handles the news program’s entertainment segments: "Nawawala na ang focus natin on more important issues – tapos, nakikisakay na ’yung ibang pulitiko."

News reporter Lei Alviz, however, believes that Kris’ example has also taught Filipinos a lesson on humility, "and that there’s absolutely nothing wrong about asking for forgiveness," points out Lei.

How would this end? "There’s only one way to end this," says Cesar Apolinario: "Dapat matabunan ito ng mas malaking issue."

From Alma Moreno’s end, the actress doesn’t really want to get involved in the Kris-Joey real-life tele-novela, except that since she is still the legal Mrs. Joey Marquez, her name will always be dragged into the issue.

Alma insists that she’s hurting not for herself, but for her kids. "Ako, kaya kong tiisin lahat ng ito. Pero ang mga anak ko, nasasaktan na and for that matter, even Joshua and, yes, Mrs. Cory Aquino," claims Alma.

Her advice to Kris and Joey? "Tumahimik na lang silang dalawa."

Like everyone else we talked to, Alma believes that there is a big lesson for all of us regarding the Kris-Joey scandal. As a final statement, Ms. Moreno says: "Everyone should be reminded about this – na kapag mali ang pinasukan, mali ang kalalabasan."