Months later, she surfaced and admitted she had a love son, Alejandro. ABS-CBN gave her another chance and she starred in “Pintada” as a teacher who falls in love with her student. In the afternoon drama, “Paraiso”, she played villain to Jessy Mendiola, but now, in the primetime soap “Annaliza” that starts airing on May 27, she plays another good character as the mother of title-roler Andrea Brilliantes. Did she get to see the original?
“No,” she says. “It ended daw in 1986 and I was born in 1987. But I was told my role was first played by Alicia Alonzo. Pero binago na ang characters namin. Sosyal na kami ng husband ko rito, Patrick Garcia. He’s a chef and I’m a pastry baker. Grabeng drama scenes ko rito as a mom whose baby daughter was kidnapped. Sa kidnap scene, iyak ako ng iyak, my eyes were so swollen until the next day. Ang bilis ng pacing ng show at ang dami ring confrontation scenes with Kaye Abad and the other characters so lagi akong umiiyak.”
Didn’t she have second thoughts doing a mother role? “Okay lang. When Direk Ruel Bayani explained the role to me, ang ganda. I felt I had to do it. Mas may second thoughts pa nga ako doing the villain role in ‘Paraiso’ kasi when I played Eula Valdes’ contravida daughter in ‘Pangako Sa’Yo’ ten years ago, isang matanda na nakita ko sa mall, sinampal ako. Sabi, ‘ikaw, maldita ka.’ It’s good nothing like that happened in ‘Paraiso’.”
Does she intend to marry the dad of her son? “Wala na kami. We ended it, just recently. I felt it’s not gonna work anymore. He’s abroad and there are other things. But he’s not a bad person. We’re friends and we still skype. I’m not selfish with our son.”
Does he send support? “Yes. But I don’t force him. Just whatever he can send. I work naman and I’ve always been very independent. But may sarili na akong plans.”
Who’s her son’s father figure? “My dad and my two brothers. I still live with them in Wack Wack. He’s the first apo in our family so everyone loves him.”
Doesn’t she regret getting preggy and leaving ‘Dahil sa Pag-ibig’? “No. Ang feeling ko, nobody naman would miss me. But it turned out marami palang nagtanong where I’ve been.”
It’s said Rafael Roces moved to GMA-7 because of her. “Hindi naman. I do miss him, we still communicate. Niyaya nga akong lumipat din doon, but sunod-sunod naman ang shows ko sa ABS so happy na ako rito.”
