Maribel divorces Japanese hubby

Curtain-raiser:

• Upon the expiration of his two-year contract, Luis "Cito" Alejandro is resigning effective March 15 as president and COO (Chief Operating Officer) of ABS-CBN and returning to his old job on March 16 at NutriAsia, a packaged-food industry which has reacquired controlling interest in Del Monte Pacific Ltd. along with San Miguel Corp. Gabby Lopez is now the acting president and chairman of ABS-CBN pending the replacement of Alejandro. Now, the big question: Will ABS-CBN try to woo back Freddie Garcia (photo) who retired in 2004 and was replaced by Alejandro? Television has always been Freddie’s life. Lately, there has been whispers that he and a big-time lady producer are planning to join forces and buy RPN 9, a government-sequestered station recently put in the market together with IBC 13 (also sequestered). Will Freddie, uh, "bite" (that is, if and when ABS-CBN makes an offer – which he cannot refuse)?

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This piece of news was relayed to Funfare yesterday afternoon by Maria Isabel Lopez herself – with relief?

Yes, Maribel and her Japanese husband, Hiroshi Yokohama, have decided to end their 15-year marriage and agreed to file for divorce. The couple has two children, Mara Isabella, 14, who’s following in Maribel’s footsteps to showbiz (the girl is in the cast of a made-in-RP Hollywood movie); and Ken, nine.

Reason for the split-up, according to Maribel, is "serial infidelity" on the part of her husband.

"Actually," said Maribel, "we have been on trial separation since August last year. We were hoping to save our marriage but we realized that it’s beyond repair."

Married in 1990, the un-couple first broke up in 1999 due to the husband’s "womanizing."

"At that time," said Maribel, " we saved our marriage by taking the Christian route. This time, it couldn’t be saved. Our children have learned to accept this sad reality."

At the moment, through their lawyers Maribel and her husband are working on the terms and conditions of the divorce, including child support, visitation rights, etc.

"Fortunately," said Maribel, "we got married in Japan where divorce is legal."

A Pinoy entry at the NY Independent Film and Video Fest 2006

I just got a note on my e-mail from US-based reader Anne Marie del Rosario who identifies herself as the daughter of Rosario del Pilar (real name: Rosario del Rosario), the sexy actress who starred with some of the country’s top action stars (among them FPJ, Jess Lapid and Joseph Estrada) in the ’60s. Rosario was known as Charito de Leon when she was discovered in the early ’50s by LVN Pictures and changed her screen name when she turned freelancer. Among her movies were El Robo, Kilabot sa Barilan and Blood of the Vampires. She died in the US in 1992.

Anne Marie announces that her company, named after her mother ("To continue her legacy and dreams"), has produced its first full-length feature film (Anne Marie forgot to mention the title) which has been accepted as official entry to the 2006 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival.

"We are informing you about this so as to inspire our kababayan who have dreams of making it to the international film scene," wrote Anne Marie.

The soundtrack of the film was done by the group Stand.

What’s up?

• Pilar Pilapil’s book The Woman Without a Face will hit bookstores in Metro Manila next week and outlets nationwide the following week. The hardbound copy sells for P500 each. Pilar said that those who want to buy advance copies may call CSM Publishing Inc. at 512-1501 to 05 or 0921-4227272. After this corner’s review last Monday, Pilar has been getting several calls.

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)