Marquez back at work, not flying to US after Kris

No, the love-struck mayor of Parañaque has not followed his current flame to the US.

This was the clarification made yesterday by the camp of Parañaque Mayor Joey Marquez, whom city officials say is "doing well" and performing his duties as chief local executive.

Officials, however refused to further discuss the mayor’s controversial relationship with TV personality Kris Aquino, who left for Los Angeles early this week to escape intrigues.

"Our lips are sealed with regards to his love life. But the mayor is not distracted at all by the controversy. He’s still doing well," Parañaque City legal consultant Patricio Asoy told The STAR. "Contrary to earlier reports, the mayor "is not on leave and is not going to the States."

His constituents, however, think otherwise.

Residents of Parañaque have been complaining daily about traffic jams, potholes and uncollected garbage in the city. Some insisted that his turbulent lovelife has affected the delivery of services to the city.

It was earlier reported that Marquez planned to follow Aquino to the US after she admitted on her own talk show that the current love affair has pained her family.

Several attempts by The STAR to reach Marquez for an interview proved futile. His staff kept on replying that the mayor had just left for a meeting or would not proceed to city hall because of outside appointments. They refused to elaborate.

Asoy stressed that Marquez has been "going to his office and attending to his functions."

Meanwhile, Marquez’s estranged partner, Alma Moreno, declined to comment on the raging controversy.

"She has chosen to keep mum," said Nene Riego, Moreno’s spokesperson, "because it’s her word against Kris. The issue would just drag on if she comments now. She’ll speak when she’s ready."

Moreno reportedly got physical during the conciliation meeting she had with Marquez at the office of Pasay City Judge Helen Ricafort on Aug. 2. The veteran actress allegedly slapped Marquez and pulled his hair after the mayor told the judge that he regretted marrying Moreno.

A conciliation meeting is part of the pre-trial and hearing for annulment cases.

"It is in the hope that the couple could still patch up their differences," court sources explained.

In a related development, the same judge handling the Marquez-Moreno dispute is set to have a similar conciliation meeting of Aquino’s friend, ZsaZsa Padilla and her estranged husband, Modesto Tatlonghari.

Padilla is the current live-in partner of top comedian, Dolphy, who was Moreno’s partner before Marquez.

Padilla filed for the annulment of her marriage from Tatlonghari last May.