Na-shock naman ako sa balita na sinaktan ni Neil Arce ang reporter na si Joey Sarmiento dahil wala sa itsura niya ang mang-uumbag ng kapwa.
Personal kaming magkakilala ni Neil at magalang na bata ang impression ko sa kanya, base sa maraming beses na pagkikita namin sa studio ng Startalk.
Parang hindi ko ma-imagine na capable na manakit si Neil dahil bukod sa pagiging press-friendly, siya pa nga ang umiwas noon kay Saab Magalona nang muntik na silang magpang-abot sa studio ng Startalk dahil ayaw niya na magkaroon ng confrontation scene. Si Saab ang younger sister ni Maxene Magalona na ex-girlfriend ni Neil. Hindi ikinatuwa ni Saab ang paghihiwalay noon ng kanyang kapatid at ni Neil na boyfriend ngayon ni Bela Padilla.
Anyway, mukhang hahantong sa demandahan ang problema nina Neil at Joey na nag-claim na inumÂbag siya ng boyfriend ni Bela. Ang korte kasi ang proper forum para malaman kung sino sa kanila ang tunay na naagrabyado. Sinusuportahan ng National Press Club si Joey at bilang depensa sa sarili, naglabas kahapon ng official statement si Neil tungkol sa insidente na nangyari noong August 23 sa mismong bahay niya sa Quezon City.
“Last Friday, August 23 an unidentified person entered our family compound where my production team was shooting a film by misrepresenting himself to be a relative of Sen. Ping Lacson in order to gain access.
“He even went to the extent of giving a false name. Once inside the compound, this person eventually approached me and attempted to coerce me into paying him money or else he would publish a story maligning my girlfriend and her reputation. Considering that I was being blackmailed and this person was no longer welcome in my compound, I told him to flat out leave. He threatened me and said, “Sigurado ka? Editor ako ng Remate.â€
“I said yes since I never tolerated extortion attempts. This person refused to leave and had to be forcibly escorted out of the shooting area. This person was able to enter our compound under false and fraudulent pretenses. Once he was asked to leave and he refused to do so, he was no longer welcome in our compound and we had the legal right to remove him from our property especially since he was extorting money from me.
“I am reserving my right to add to this statement and to file the appropriate criminal cases against this person for coercion, trespass to dwelling and threatening to publish libel.â€
May sagot naman sa mga magtatanong kung paano nadamay ang name ni Senator Ping Lacson. Tungkol sa buhay ni Senator Ping ang kuwento ng 10,000 Hours, ang pelikula ni Robin Padilla na official entry sa Metro Manila Film Festival 2013.
Si Robin ang bida ng P10,000 Hours at si Neil ang isa sa mga producer ng pelikula na mula sa direksiyon ni Joyce Bernal.
Second movie project ni Neil bilang producer ang 10,000 Hours. Sila ni Congressman Ronald Singson at Boy2 Quizon ang producer ng Coming Soon, ang pelikula na pinagbidahan naman ni Andi Eigenmann. Ang pamilya ni Neil ang may-ari ng masarap na Arce Ice Cream.