What Heart wanted to ask Deniece

MANILA, Philippines – Heart Evangelista admits she felt frustration over her interview with Deniece Cornejo, one of the people allegedly involved in the mauling of actor Vhong Navarro, in GMA-7’s showbiz talk show “Startalk” on Sunday, February 2.

The “Startalk” interview wasn’t the first time Deniece faced the press following the scandal, but it became controversial thanks to her statements about the incident.

“Kuya Vhong, ngayon panalo ka. Pasensya, simple lang ako, hindi ako makapangyarihan. Ngayon panalo ka, pero matakot ka sa ikalawang buhay. Ako, handa akong ibuwis ang buhay ko na nagsasabi ako ng katotohanan. Hindi ako natatakot. Hindi po ako natatakot. Mas ikakatakot ko ang ikalawang buhay sa impiyerno,” Deniece said in the interview.

RELATED: Deniece tells Vhong: 'I will still pray for you'

“Our hands were tied,” Heart told members of the press, including Philstar.com, during her launch as fast food restaurant Wendy's newest endorser on Wednesday, February 5.

She added GMA-7’s legal department and Deniece’s lawyer closely monitored the interview.

“I was actually so frustrated. Because of course I’m very vocal, I’m very spontaneous with my questions usually,” the Kapuso star said. “But there is nothing else that we can do. So I understand the frustration but wala na kaming magagawa.”

Had she been given the chance, what would have Heart asked Deniece?

“Ano ba talaga nangyari nung gabing yun, di ba? O bakit merong anggulong parang lahat ng tao hindi naniniwala sayo?” she said,

Heart added: “Really, it was more of getting answers on what really happened and what she thinks is the truth. But we couldn’t push it, e.”

‘You can’t please everybody’

Heart has done hosting jobs before, but it was the first time she had to interview someone controversial. Because of this, she admits having reservations about the interview.

“I’m not used to handling that kind of situation. It’s so serious and it’s so controversial. Everybody wanted to hear (Deniece),” she explained. “But you know, that is my job and I did what I could do.”

She is merely shrugging off negative comments on social media about her hosting, saying: “I never really compared myself to anybody else. This is the level I’m at and this is the level I will give to them. Wala na talaga akong magagawa.”

“I do sometimes get affected. But after a while, you get tired of feeling bad,” she added.

RELATED: Heart ‘very happy’ about ex-boyfriend Jericho’s upcoming wedding

What did she learn as a host from the interview with Deniece?

“You cannot please everybody. As long as at the end of the day, you do what’s given to you, you do your job, and you do your best with what’s given to you, that’s it. That’s the only thing you can do,” Heart said.

“If they don’t like you, there are other things they can watch. But at the time, that’s the only thing that I could do. Parang ganun na lang yun.”