That seems contradictory (“faithful” and “loyal” being synonyms) but that was what First Son Sebastian “Baste” Duterte told Luchi Cruz-Valdes (head of TV5’s News & Public Affairs) in an exclusive interview on her show Reaksyon last March 2 when asked about his talked-about love life. But read on and find out how Baste explains it. Asked by Luchi how he manages to have Ellen Adarna in his life simultaneously with another (non-showbiz) girl who is the mother of his love child (one of two, the other with still another woman), Baste said, “Sila yung nag-work-out nun, e. Alam nila, e.” Really? Love and let love? Why do two women agree? “Siguro dahil anak ako ng presidente,” he replied, followed by laughter.
Baste will have an adventure-reality show titled Lakbai (with “Marco,” “Bogart” and “Explorer” as co-hosts, set for airing on TV5 probably on May 21).
Anyway, here are excerpts from that interview with the permission of Luchi, as is (how Baste answered mostly in Filipino):
…And you took up Political Science, I know this. You graduated with a degree in Political Science.
“Sa Ateneo de Davao.”
Yes. So do we see politics in your future?
“Maybe, pero siguro mga ano, matagal pa. Pag wala na kong maisip na gagawin sa buhay ko magpupulitika na lang ako para may trabaho ako.”
Of course, Baste, hindi mo naman mapagkakaila na nasa issue ka lately ano. I-clear na rin muna natin yung ere dito sa litrato mo sa Instagram na para kang nag-smoke daw ng weed.
“Ganito lang naman yun…Kung totoong marijuana yun, siguro naman, di naman ipo-post iyon, di ba? Ganun lang naman yun. I don’t want to like defend myself on that kasi obviously, hindi naman talaga marijuana yun. Bahala na sila.”
(Luchi also mentioned that Baste’s brother, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte hasn’t been spared by Pres. DU30’s critics.)
“Twenty-nine years old na ko. My father has been in politics for that long. So while growing up, alam ko na ganun talaga pulitika ng Pilipinas. Nasa sistema na yan ng pulitika ng Pilipinas, e. So ayun, wala na tayong magagawa kung ganun talaga. May mga taong ganun lang yung tactics.”
…Nawawala ka raw…Missing in action ka raw lately...! Pag pinaparinggan ka ng ganun ng tatay mo, anong nararamdaman mo? Kunwari iyon, very, very private matter kung tutuusin pero bino-broadcast niya sa isang press conference, how did that make you feel?...
“Siempre at first nahihiya talaga ako. Sabi ko... ahh. Pero wala akong magawa, e. Tatay pa rin yun, di ba? Pero ano lang yun, dati pa sa Davao may show siya every Sunday, binabanggit niya rin kasi yung pangalan ko dun kaya alam ko na, e. Pero hindi ko naman talaga inexpect na dadalhin niya sa national level. Ewan ko lang.”
How does it feel na, syempre ngayong Presidential Son ka, yung mga relasyon mong pribado, e. Well, inuurirat ng publiko?
“Wala rin naman akong magagawa, ito na yung buhay ko.”
Pwede ka bang tanungin tungkol dun, halimbawa, maraming nagtataka na nagkaroon ka ng relasyon kay Ellen Adarna habang meron ka namang kinakasama, na may anak ka pa doon. How does that work?
“Sila yung nag-work nun e. Alam nila, e.”
What do you mean?
“Alam naman nila, e. Pumayag naman sila, anong magagawa ko?”
So alam nila pareho that...
“Sinabi ko naman, naging honest naman ako sa kanila pareho, pero yung kasama ko naman talaga, later on na sinabi ko.”
But how does that excuse you, I guess..?
“Siguro dahil anak ako ng presidente?” (Laughs) “Hindi. Hindi, ganun lang talaga, e. Fair naman ako. Sabi ko naman sa girlfriend ko na kung ayaw mo ‘to, di ba, we can talk this out kung anong mangyayari satin. E, yun naman that’s the same thing that I did with Ellen. I was open na ganun, may girlfriend ako. So, ewan ko sa kanila, sa kanila talaga yun, di ba? Pero ayun tapos na kami ni Ellen, wala na yun. Wala na yun.”
So faithfulness is not exactly one of your traits, I guess?
“Faithful naman ako hindi lang loyal.”
Anong difference nun?
“May faith pa rin naman ako na someday, magkakatuluyan. Pag may kasama akong babae, that’s faithfulness. Pero yung loyal...hindi ko alam.”
So marriage is not in the horizon right now?
“Wala pa naman. Open din naman ako sa girlfriend ko na sinabi ko sa kanya na hindi pa ko...ayun.”
Five years from now, anong nakikita mo para sa iyo, at saka para sa tatay mo, at saka sa pamilya ninyo?
“Hindi ko talaga alam, Ma’am. Ako spontaneous lang ako eh, ewan ko sa kanila. Ewan ko sa pamilya, wala kasi ako sa pulitika, ayoko talaga.”
* * *
Meanwhile, here are excerpts from a cover story by Chanda Pepino in the March issue of Cosmo magazine (with a sexily smiling Ellen Adarna on the cover):
= On bashers: “The bashers don’t affect me at all. Bata pa lang ako sa bahay pa lang, I really didn’t care,” recalling how she would waltz around her childhood home in just her underwear.
= On Baste: “We broke up several times, and then ‘yung final straw — ‘yung final breakup talaga na hindi kami nag-usap for maybe a month — ang dami kong realizations. Kung babalikan ko siya, makakatulog ba ako sa gabi nang maayos? I don’t want that. And I don’t deserve that kasi binibigay ko naman lahat pag nagmahal ako.”
= On accusation that she’s promiscuous: “The biggest misconception about me is that I’m promiscuous. I’m very free-spirited. People think that I just give it to random guys, but it’s something I only do with someone I have feelings for. When I date someone, sinasabi ko, if I’m drunk, we will not have sex. Only when we’re sober…If you respect me, and you want to date me, eto ‘yung rules. If you’re with me when I’m wasted, trial ‘yun sa principles and judgment mo. And I don’t wanna have sex on the first date.”
= On her future: (She’s in no hurry). “Marami akong ex-boyfriends na may iba-ibang qualities na gusto ko, na kung pwede lang sana i-combine, ‘yun na ang pakakasalan ko. Pero mahirap. But I have standards and I will not settle.”
(For the full story on Ellen Adarna, get a copy of the Cosmo magazine’s latest issue at a newsstand near you.)
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