Maniolas

Actor Robin Padilla was granted absolute pardon by President Rodrigo Duterte following their meeting at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday.(MNS photo) MANILA, Nov 16 (Mabuhay) — Actor Robin Padilla was granted absolute pardon by President Rodrigo Duterte following their meeting at Malacañang Palace on Tuesday. The pardon restores Padilla’s civil and political rights, which may enable him to get a US visa so he can be with his wife and newborn child. “He has suffered enough, I think. Kung bitawan mo naman iyong tao sa labas, give him the rights –makaboto, maka-travel, whatever,” Duterte told reporters. Padilla, a staunch supporter of Duterte, was convicted of illegal possession of firearms in 1994. He was released after being granted conditional pardon by former President Fidel Ramos three years later. According to Duterte, he did not see any malicious intent in Padilla when he was caught with guns. Television host-actress Mariel Rodriguez, Padilla’s wife, on Monday gave birth to a baby girl in the United States. It is the couple’s first child since getting married back in 2010 in India. Padilla was unable to travel to the U.S. after failing to secure a visa. Rodriguez first confirmed her pregnancy in May, eight months after suffering her second miscarriage. She flew to the US in September to receive extra care during her delicate pregnancy. (MNS)  

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa presents suspected Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa to media at Camp Crame early Friday morning, November 18, 2016. Espinosa, son of slain Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, is the alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord. Espinosa was brought to Manila after five months of hiding in Abu Dhabi. (MNS photo) MANILA, Nov 16 (Mabuhay) – Alleged Eastern Visayas top drug lord Kerwin Espinosa is asking to be placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program, with the promise that he will reveal all that he knows about the illegal drug trade, Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Constancio Vingno Jr. said Wednesday. “’Ang request niya, na he be placed under the Witness Protection Program and he will tell all,” Vingno said. The Philippine envoy was able to meet with Espinosa last week at the Wadha Jail in Abu Dhabi, where the alleged drug lord has been detained since he was arrested by local authorities last October 17. The request comes as the alleged drug lord is said to fear for his life, as well as that of his family’s, after the killing of his father, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., inside the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail last November 5. DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday said that they are inclined to place Kerwin under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Vingno said the younger Espinosa has yet to give a sworn statement to Philippine authorities, who are currently processing papers Read More …

Paulo Avelino (MNS photo) Photos of Paulo Avelino with his rumoured girlfriend, model and entrepreneur Natasha Villaroman, have been making the rounds online. The pictures were originally shared by Villaroman’s mother on Facebook although they have already been taken down. Nonetheless, the actor’s supporters were quick to repost the photos, which were supposedly taken at the luxury resort Amanpulo in Palawan, in other social networking sites. During a press conference for his upcoming movie “The Unmarried Wife”, Avelino was asked to comment on the photos. “I just don’t like people getting bashed or people making up things just to destroy a person because ayaw nila sa kanya or ayaw nila sa akin. Ayaw ko lang na may naba-bash. Ayaw ko siyang naba-bash,” he said. The actor also confirmed that he is currently dating someone although he did not name any person in particular. Avelino’s last known relationship was with KC Concepcion. (MNS)

  Inigo Pascual and Kelley Day (MNS photo) “Basically,” replied Iñigo Pascual when asked about whether he and GirlTrends member Kelley Day are “exclusively dating”. Iñigo stopped short of saying that he and Day are already a couple, explaining that they have yet to put a label on their relationship. “It’s just we haven’t confirmed that we’re together even to each other,” he shared. “The way I can describe it is that it’s basically us but there’s nothing official yet, nothing’s labeled yet. Mas okay na po iyon for now because we’re still young, and she’s barely starting her career.” He also said that his father, Kapamilya star Piolo Pascual, approves of his relationship with the Filipino-American beauty. “I’m glad that he likes Kelley. Every time that we’re together, he’s always been really friendly with all of my friends,” he said. Iñigo and Day walked the red carpet of the 10th Star Magic Ball in matching white outfits. Inigo looked suave in his off-white tuxedo by Francis Libiran, while Day was stunning in a revealing, patterned Leo Almodal creation with a plunging neckline. The pair first met at an acting workshop more than six months ago, and have since been spotted together in public events. “I consider her to be one of my most trusted friends,” Iñigo said in an earlier interview. “I find her to be really beautiful and really charming so we’ll see where this goes. I’m happy with what we have right now.”  (MNS)

Philippine Senator and “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao throws a right hook to Jessie Vargas (left) who lost his WBO welterweight title to the older Filipino 8-division world title holder during their Saturday meeting at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Photo: Jun Camacho   Bittersweet. Putting two Filipino boxing icons in one fight event, it turned out, wasn’t a good idea after all. Well, at least from the standpoint of many Filipino Americans. Because they were caught between the sweet feeling of celebrating Manny Pacquiao’s  new world welterweight title and the bitterness of commiserating with Nonito Donaire, 33, over his controversial lost of the super bantamweight crown. The ESPN unofficial scorecard has Donaire winning at 115-113. However, the judges saw the fight differently and gave their nods to Donaire’s 24-year-old opponent Jessie Magdaleno with scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112. The scoring of one of the three judges, Adalaide Byrd, was so bad, it prompted Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum to call for her disqualification. “If there is one thing to say, because it really troubles me. You can complain about the judges and be a sore loser, so I’m not complaining about any decision because they are all correct. But the judge in the Nonito Donaire-Magdaleno fight, who gave Donaire only two rounds should never be allowed to judge again. The other two judges had Magdaleno winning very, very close. You can argue that was correct or Donaire winning close was correct, but to only Read More …