Face-Off: Katrina vs Hayden

On Christmas Eve, Dr. Hayden Kho, barely two days after he was released from a week-long confinement at the “basement” (actually located on the ninth floor) of a Makati hospital, admitted on the GMA newscast 24 Oras that he had an affair with Katrina Halili — “For fun... no emotional involvement” — and that was reportedly one of the reasons why he and his beloved Dr. Vicki Belo broke up. Mum up to now, unlike in the past when she was all over national television speaking up on issues involving her, Vicki wouldn’t publicly confirm if, among pieces of evidence in her possession, are video copies not only of Katrina and Hayden in an “exciting” situation but also of Hayden and Rufa Mae Quinto (publicly “absolved” by Hayden even if rumors persist that they have had...a fling?) and of Vicki herself and Hayden, reportedly shot with Hayden’s webcam without the knowledge of the three “femme fatales.”

Katrina as endorser of The Belo Medical Clinic posed with Hayden in the nude for the clinic’s Internet ad.

Funfare did exclusive interviews with the ex-lovers — that is, Katrina and Hayden, first with the former on Dec. 28 (Ninos Innosentes Day) at a hotel in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, and the latter on Dec. 30 at his Quezon City home to which he moved back after he left the posh Makati condo which served as his and Vicki’s “love nest.” With Katrina during the interview was her boyfriend Kris Lawrence (with whom she left two days after for a week-long vacation with his folks in L.A. and a side trip to Las Vegas) and with Hayden, his charming mom Irene, his maternal grandmother and an aunt.

Let’s start with Katrina (speaking mostly in Filipino and translated into English). Excerpts (condensed):

How do you feel now that everything is out?

“I feel relieved. I think it was the biggest mistake I ever committed in my whole life. When the issue came out, I decided to face it squarely. When I realized that what we were doing was wrong, I stayed away from him. But I just want to clear one thing. If he considered it ‘for fun,’ ako hindi. Hindi po totoong it was all for fun. Never akong pumasok sa isang relasyon na hindi ako seryoso. I was hurt by what he said.”

Why did you say it was a mistake?

“Because it was a mistake. Na-in-love po ako talaga sa maling tao. I am a victim, just like Dr. Belo.”

How badly are you affected by the issue?

“Not that bad, kasi it happened noon pa, eh...early last year pa. My family is also not affected but if (Hayden) continues making similar statements, baka masaktan na rin sila.” (Note: Kris said he isn’t affected because it happened before he came into Katrina’s life, only middle of last year.)

As far as you know, were you the only “other woman” involved with Hayden?

“It was only when the issue broke out before Christmas did I learn that several other women were involved. Ayoko na lang mag-name-names. Ayoko magdamay ng iba. They are also victims, like Dr. Belo and me. (Hayden) and Dr. Belo broke up in December; wala na kami (ni Hayden) noong February pa last year.”

I presume that you saw Hayden on 24 Oras...

“Yes, and I was hurt. I wonder why ako lang ang nilaglag niya samantalang marami pang ibang babaing involved. Hindi naman sa nagmamalinis ako dahil inaamin ko naman ang naging kasalanan ko. When he said ‘yung sa amin was all ‘for fun,’ sobrang pambabastos naman sa akin ‘yon.”

How long did your romance last?

“Short lang. Mas matagal pa ‘yung texting-texting namin kaysa pagkikita namin. That guy is fond of drama; magaling pong magsalita. One of the ‘other girls’ I talked to told me that what (Hayden) was telling her was the same thing he was telling me. Mahusay siyang (Hayden) artista.”

Are there really sex videos?

“As far as I know, there’s none. Napaka-bastos ko naman kung gagawin ko ‘yon.”

Are you and Vicki okay? I heard that some of your billboards have been taken down.

“We talked while (Hayden) was in the hospital. Hinarap ko siya at nag-usap kami. I never denied anything to her. About the billboards. Dr. Belo told me that they had to be taken down kasi talagang kailangan na daw palitan ng iba. Actually, as an endorser I don’t have any contract with Dr. Belo. Kung ayaw na niya sa akin, hindi ko po ipagpipilitan ang sarili ko.”

Last word?

“I regret everything. Pinagsisisihan ko ang nangyari.”

* * *

And now, with Hayden (excerpts also condensed)...

What is the Hayden Kho that the public doesn’t know?

“The real Hayden is very intuitive and very introvert. Kapag may mga kasama akong maraming tao, masayahin ako, ang likot-likot ko. But afterward, I retreat back to my cave. I am the second of five children; we have three adopted siblings. I was already a doctor when I met Vicks. Nagmo-model-model na rin ako, for prominent designers, here and abroad. So showbiz is not new to me.”

Did you really lose your balance when you joined showbiz?

“I would say that when I joined showbiz, napasok na ang ‘cave’ na sinasabi ko. That ‘cave’ was my private place.”

How do you feel about the stories about you (and Vicki, etc.) coming out in the media?

“Bits and pieces are true; bits and pieces are not true.”

Which ones are true and which ones are not true?

“A lot.”

What about the sex video, with Katrina and/or with Rufa Mae? Mayroon ba talaga?

“Therre’s no sex video. I can prove to you that there’s none. The one video I know shows only the face of a person, talking.”

When you were younger, and before you met Vicki and Katrina, did you appear in any sex video?

“No comment. Hahahaha! You can quote me on that. Hahahaha!”

Tell us more about your family.

“Thank you for asking me that question. At least ngayon kaya kong maipakilala kahit papano yung tunay na Hayden Kho. My dad is a practising doctor at the Manila Doctors Hospital. He’s pure Chinese. His family was originally from Australia and settled here. My mom (Irene) is from Marinduque. She’s part-Spanish, part-French and part-Filipino. She’s 57; friends sila ni Vicks (who is 50). My maternal grandfather, a lawyer, is one of the heroes of Marinduque. We are five siblings: The eldest is a Computer Engineering graduate from La Salle, the second is a nurse working at John Hopkins in Maryland, USA. I’m next. Our fourth sister is a physical therapist. The youngest is a mechanical engineer; he’s with Rockwell.”

How has the issue affected your family?

“My mom lost 12 lbs. and my dad, six pounds.”

You said on TV “I hurt myself” and people called it a “suicide attempt.”

“It was because of so many problems piled up one on top of the other — family problems, personal problems, problems sa love life ko, problems sa friends namin ni Vicks. It was not only because Vicks and I broke up. Marami akong mga problemang personal na hindi alam ng mga tao.”

You and Vicki went steady for three years. Hindi ka ba open sa kanya about your problems?

“Of course, open ako kay Vicks. But when she got angry with me, parang nawalan ako ng kakampi.”

Some peole suspect that your “suicide attempt” was a desperate move to win back Vicki. It was a “fake” attempt daw.

“It’s not true. In fact, I blocked the door of the condo with a barbell and a sofa para walang makapasok.I woke up at the hospital after three days. I realized that it was a foolish thing to do. I will never do it again.”

Katrina said that, as far as she’s concerned, your short-lived relationship was not, as you put it, “for fun.”

“I’m sorry that I hurt Katrina. Humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa kanya.”

What about Rufa Mae?

“Wala talaga.”

Katrina said that there were several other women involved.

“I must admit na marami akong kalokohang nagawa during the time that Vicks and I were going steady. Pinagsisisihan ko na ‘yon.”

Do you and Vicki still talk to each other?

“Hindi na masyado. Ang kasama ko na lang ngayon sa room ko si Sheldon, ‘yung alaga naming aso ni Vicks.”

Is it true that Vicki spent Christmas Eve with your family?

“Yes, kasi nga best friends sila ng mom ko. At miss din niya si Sheldon.”

Do you think you and Vicki will get back together again?

“Nasa kanya ‘yon.”

(Note: For the full story about Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili, tune in to this afternoon’s edition of Startalk, 2:30 to 4:30 on GMA.)

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