MANILA, Philippines - Photos supposedly showing Camarines Norte Gov. Edgardo Tallado and his alleged mistress have gone viral on the Internet, sparking frenzy among netizens who have followed the narrative worthy of a telenovela.
At least three photos have surfaced on the Internet, with one showing what appeared to be the governor kissing a naked woman while they were in bed. Another photo, while less revealing, also showed the man and the woman kissing.
Tallado has yet to issue a statement over the release of the photos.
UPDATE: Camarines Norte governor apologizes for scandal
The gripping tale of the governor’s personal life started last week when he issued a statement saying his wife Josefina and her friend failed to return to their house.
He had gone as far as saying that he believed his wife was still alive.
The Philippine National Police intervened, creating a task force to search for Josefina. The case was initially believed to be a kidnapping incident.
Reports said even the military joined the search for the missing wife.
Plot twist
But the case took a bizarre twist when the “kidnapped wife” surfaced on Wednesday and revealed the reasons for her disappearance – she was afraid of her husband following her supposed discovery of a sex video featuring him and his mistress.
“I am hiding and I was not kidnapped. I voluntarily left my home because I feel I am not safe there anymore,” Tallado said in an interview on ABS-CBN.
She said her husband confronted her on suspicions that she was the one who posted the naked picture of the woman on Facebook.
“It happened last (Oct. 15) when he confronted me and I saw a gun tucked behind his waist. It was the first time I saw him very angry. That was when I felt I had to leave,” Josefina said, adding she had known about her husband’s affair for years.