Alma soon to be a Muslim?

Now that she’s married to a Muslim, will Alma Moreno become a Muslim, too?

She just might be...soon!

Her exes, Dolphy and Joey Marquez, are happy for Alma. And so are her children who include Vandolph (by Dolphy), Mark Anthony Fernandez (by the late Rudy Fernandez) and four by Joey (Yeoj, Wynwyn, VJ and Em-Em), all of whom were present at the Vista Mar Resort in Cebu City last March 21 when Alma married Marawi City Mayor Fahad U. Salic in Muslim rites.

It was Mark, being the eldest child, who gave the (blushing?) bride away during the simple ceremony that started at 3 p.m. and ended at 5 p.m., with only close members of the couple’s families present.

“Unlike in a Catholic wedding,” recalled Mark in an exclusive interview with Startalk, “I didn’t escort Mama to the altar. Walang ganoon. They just held hands and then I read something from a piece of paper. ‘Yun na ‘yon.”

Yes, there was a dowry. Asked how much, Mark smiled, “Maliit lang na amount. My brothers, sister and I split it among ourselves.”

Since the news about the wedding broke into the headlines (reported by Funfare last week of January), Alma has kept mum about it. The press and the public were misled into thinking that the wedding would be held on April 9 yet and Mark himself said he was surprised when he got an urgent call from his mom asking him to proceed to Cebu as soon as he came back from Singapore where he shot some scenes for All About Eve, the new GMA soap.

“That’s how they wanted it to be,” said Mark who calls his new stepfather Uncle Mayor. “Gusto nila very private, talagang family affair lang, at walang media.”

As far as Mark remembers, his mom and his Uncle Mayor met at an event in December last year. It must have been love at first sight. Alma, a Parañaque City councilor, is the vice president of the Councilors Associations of the Philippines and she and Mayor Salic are often thrown into each other’s company during meetings and conferences.

It’s Alma’s second marriage. Her first, to Joey Marquez, was annulled.

“Uncle Mayor is a simple man, soft-spoken and shy. He’s cool. Mabait siya sa akin. He said he’d be always be there for me as my second father. I thanked him for that.”

Asked if it’s true that his mom is the mayor’s second wife (Muslim men are entitled to four wives), Mark said, “I’m not sure. Ang pagkakaalam ko second wife nga siya, or third wife. I don’t know. I haven’t asked Mama about it.”

According to Mark, the newly-weds will be shuttling between Marawi City and Parañaque City where they plan to buy a house.

“I’m just happy for Mama. She deserves all the happiness in the world.”

Last say from Dingdong, Jessa’s manager

Jessa Zaragoza and Dingdong Avanzado have said their piece on the reported break-up of their marriage, which they vehemently denied, and so has Rachel Alejandro, said to be the “third party” in the (non)-issue, through her manager Girlie Rodis.

Here’s the last say on the matter by ALV Talent Circuit which manages Jessa and Dingdong:

On behalf of our resident artists Dingdong Avanzado and Jessa Zaragoza, the management and staff of ALV Talent Circuit, represented by its president Mr. Arnold Vegafria, would like to clarify some issues regarding the turn of events related to the couple’s alleged separation.

Rumors and speculations alluding to the couple’s ‘breakup’ were finally laid to rest when respected entertainment columnist Ricky Lo (The Philippine Star, Funfare column, March 25, 2009) clarified that such allegations were unfounded, and that Jessa and Dingdong are very much together, and are working hard at keeping their relationship intact.

However, it is unfortunate that Rachel Alejandro’s name was dragged into the controversy — prompting her manager Girlie Rodis to refute some statements that were allegedly attributed to Jessa (The Philippine STAR, Funfare column, March 26, 2009).

We would like to emphasize that Jessa never issued such statements implicating Rachel, and would never even resort to issuing press releases that would prove defamatory to anyone’s character.

The said statements implicating Rachel, and allegedly coming from Jessa, were attributed to a third and unnamed party who purportedly has very close ties with the couple, but whose credibility remains questionable.

Perhaps, it was these ‘questionable’ statements that prompted Ms. Rodis to deny any allegations implicating Rachel in the controversy, and to protect her good name and reputation.

Both veterans in the talent management industry, Mr. Vegafria and Ms. Rodis have been good friends and have worked professionally together for many years. As such, both parties would not resort to any form of cheap gimmickry or publicity to draw attention to any of their artists.

Although both parties are saddened by the current turn of events implicating their artists, Mr. Vegafria and Ms. Rodis firmly believe that such issues will be finally put to rest, and that truth will eventually prevail.

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