Maniolas

MANILA, Philippines – The idea of portraying an understanding, faithful and caring wife, despite knowing her husband’s infidel ways in the GMA 7’s latest primetime drama Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real, makes Maricel Soriano want to “freak out.” She could hardly hide her “strong feelings” for the kind of persona she is about to portray. Maricel is pertaining to her role as Millet Gonzales-Real, a successful woman who is willing to do everything for her family, especially for her husband Anthony Real (played by Dingdong Dantes). But never did she expect that she will one day discover that there is another Mrs. Anthony Real in the person of Shiela Salazar-Real (Lovi Poe). The actress relates that while reading the script, her heart started to beat faster in anger towards Millet. “I told them (the production staff), ‘Huh? Could this really be possible? Millet’s undying love is surreal, nanggigigil ako sa kanya.” And until the day the cameras started to roll, Maricel was still trying to convince herself that she is able to plunge into the character easily “because I cannot take her personality. Millet has this unconditional kind of love no matter how painful it is for her to be cheated by her man. Naloka ako, may tao bang ganito?” Maricel even jokes that she needs to sit down face to face with Millet to make her realize her foolishness. But given her personal feelings, Maricel does not ask the writer if a moment of redemption will occur in the end. Read More …

NBI releases Benhur Luy’s list. A Senate reporter on Thursday, May 29, holds a copy of the disc containing the files of principal pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy. The NBI said it recovered the files from Luy’s computer. Roy Lozano More documents covering pork barrel transactions were included in deleted files of principal scam whistleblower Benhur Luy, according to a list of these computer files submitted to the Senate. Over 50 deleted files — including project proposals, endorsement letters and disbursement records — mentioned the name of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile. Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada were also mentioned in Luy’s deleted files. Code names believed to refer to senators such as “Dahon,” “Bigote,” “Sexy,” “Bonget,” “Pogi” and “Tanda” also appeared in these computer files. Among members of the House of Representatives, the surname of former Masbate representative Rizalina Seachon Lanete was mentioned the most, appearing in over 40 file names. The full names of Representatives Abdullah Dimaporo (Lanao del Norte) and Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro) also appeared in Luy’s deleted files. Other surnames that appear in these deleted records include: Sotto, Legarda, Marcos, Amatong, Flores, Montejo, Fuentebella, Ungab, Pangandaman, Abante, Lagdameo, Chiongbian, Pingoy, Dangwa, Estrella, Real, Sandoval, Serapio, and Valdez. The National Bureau of Investigation earlier turned over a CD containing Luy’s digital files to the Senate blue ribbon committee, including those that had been earlier deleted but retrieved. Copies of Luy’s files were distributed to the media on Thursday morning. The Read More …

Senator Loren Legarda recently filed a bill seeking to add one more ground for annulment—separation of the couple for at least five years. In her explanatory note of Senate Bill 2225 filed on May 14, Legarda said the measure would help expedite the tedious process of annulment as well as lower the backlog of cases besetting the lower courts. “Parties seeking annulment require legal counsel for assistance in filing petitions and substantiating claims. Hence, annulment is widely considered a lengthy, tedious, and financially exhaustive procedure,” Legarda said. “This bill addresses such concerns by providing an additional ground for annulment…This amendment likewise caters to those who cannot afford legal services by making litigation as simple and expedient as possible,” Legarda said. The bill seeks to amend Chapter 3 of Executive Order No. 209 otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines. Currently Chapter 3 of the Family Code identifies six valid grounds for annulment: Lack of parental consent Insanity Fraud Force, intimidation, or undue influence Impotence Sexually transmissible diseases Under SB 2225, “a marriage may also be annulled if the parties have been separated in fact for at least five years” provided that the parties “shall both be required to present affidavits or certifications from parents, children of legal age, and other relatives attesting to the fact of the separation period without prejudice to whatever documents the court may further require.” “The separation period is crucial as the ultimate expression of the couple’s desire for an annulment,” the bill states. Read More …

ANTOINETTE Taus is now in the Philippines for a vacation but it looks like she is staying in the country for good after she signed a three-year management contract with Viva Entertainment. “Ang dami kasing nangyari pagbalik ko and sunod sunod ‘yung mga offers. Even the fans, they’ve been very welcoming. Everyone’s been saying na ‘you should stay, it’s a sign,” Taus said. The former child star had a successful career in the entertainment industry before she moved to the United States in 2004 with her family. She worked in Los Angeles, California as a singer-model. When asked for her for her reaction on the issued that she will be pitted against Marian Rivera, the current girlfriend of her ex-boyfriend Dingdong Dantes, Taus said: “Hindi naman dapat. We’re all here to make the entertainment industry better, sa mga shows and programs. So kung may mga magagaling at magagandang artistang lumalabas, we should be happy. So we can uplift each other,” she said. “They’re both very talented and both very good looking. I hope we can all be happy,” she added. Meanwhile, Taus’ younger brother, Tom, who is vacationing in the country clarified his relationship status with ABS-CBN talent Andi Eigenmann. Tom reiterated that he and Eigenmann are just friends. “We’re just good friend. When I first arrived, we saw each other a few times in events and we started hanging out. But we’re friends since we’re kids,” he said. Is there a possibility that he will court Andi? Tom replied: Read More …

(Updated 2:35 p.m.) Suspected communist leader Andrea Rosal on Wednesday arrived at the wake of her baby daughter at Iglesia Filipina Independiente National Cathedral on Taft Avenue in Manila. According to a report on GMA News TV’s News TV Live, Rosal, who was heavily guarded, arrived at the cathedral shortly after 2 p.m. In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Karapatan’s media liaison Donna Quidayan said Rosal has requested for 30 minutes of privacy with her family. A mass and eulogy will then follow, which will be open to the public, she added. Meanwhile, according to Bagong Alyansang Makabayan group secretary general Renato Reyes Jr., some of the priests have asked the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology officers escorting Rosal to leave the cathedral. On Tuesday, the Taguig Regional Trial Court’s Branch 266 allowed Rosal to attend the wake on Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., after which she will have to be brought back to Camp Aguinaldo where she is detained on kidnapping and murder charges. The court, however, denied her petition to attend her daughter’s burial scheduled on Thursday in her hometown of Ibaan, Batangas. Rosal, who gave birth to Diona Andrea on Saturday, is the daughter of the late rebel spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal. She is also a suspected leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army. The infant died Sunday afternoon at the Philippine General Hospital due to oxygen deficiency in the blood. Militant groups have blamed prison Read More …