TV, ad offers hound Angelo

MEXICO, Pampanga — Angelo de la Cruz’s story on Maalaala Mo Kaya, the real life drama anthology on ABS-CBN? And his face on a pack of corn products?

There seems to be no end to De la Cruz’s celebrity status since his return last Friday from Iraq where militants had held him hostage for 17 days.

He’s back with his family in Barangay Buenavista here after spending four days in a "private place" owned by the family of Pampanga Gov. Mark Lapid. The other day, the De la Cruzes were taken to a restaurant in Tagaytay City.

His sister Beth said ABS-CBN executive Charo Santos, who hosts Maalaala Mo Kaya, was among her brother’s early visitors yesterday to arrange for his story to be featured in the long-running drama series.

Beth said a Chinese-Filipino businessman also arrived and sought her brother’s permission to be an endorser of his cornick products.

As the offer goes, De la Cruz’s face will adorn the packs of cornick which, incidentally, will also be called "Angelo de la Cruz cornick."

"The businessman also wants my brother to be featured in posters promoting the corn products," Beth said.

Meanwhile, De la Cruz politely requested mediamen who trooped here to interview him, to give him and his family some rest and privacy.

He said he might, if necessary, consider another overseas job, but added that at the moment, he prefers to stay with his family and try his luck here.

His wife Arsenia, however, said she would not allow her husband to work abroad again if she would have her way.

Beth said executives from at least three shampoo companies visited them the other day. "I don’t know what they wanted with my brother," she said.

Flor Villar, director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, said De la Cruz will continue to undergo "stress debriefing" from social workers who are taking turns in visiting him daily.

"It is normal for him to manifest some (kind of) trauma as a direct victim of the hostage crisis," she said.