PNoy: I haven’t talked to Kris

MANILA, Philippines – It was a question he did not want to answer but he responded anyway.

President Benigno Aquino III was asked about his advice to his sister TV host Kris Aquino whose domestic problem with ex-husband James Yap dominated primetime news and newspaper headlines last week.

The President gave a curt reply. “I haven’t talked to her. I haven’t talked to her prior to her appearance on that interview.”

Aquino was referring to Kris’ teary interviews on primetime newscasts last Thursday, March 21. Besides the celebrity, all 3 of their sisters – Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, Pinky Aquino-Abellada, and Viel Aquino-Dee – appeared with Kris in the interviews to stand by their sister.

Reporters sought the President’s comments towards the end of an interview at the 5^th Anniversary of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on Monday, March 25.

The President said, “She has left for Paris together with her kids. I got information about it from my other sisters yesterday but I haven’t talked to my youngest sister.”

Before Aquino replied, reporters prefaced the question by apologizing but saying they had to ask the question. The President said, “And I probably won’t answer the question but okay.”

The latest domestic public saga involving Kris Aquino concerns her legal dispute with Yap, a professional basketball player. Kris filed a temporary protection order against her ex-husband, accusing him of making unwanted sexual advances to her in her home and of inflicting psychological harm to their 5-year-old son, Bimby.

Yap initially sought to stop mother and son from leaving for a Paris vacation but a Makati court reportedly junked the petition for a hold departure order. Kris left with sons Bimby and Joshua last Saturday, March 23.

What was supposed to be a private matter became public, with Aquino’s interviews and Yap’s press conferences dominating airtime and front pages.

The President’s name has been dragged into the issue. In an interview, Yap accused Kris of supposedly name-dropping her brother during an argument.

“Baka nakalimutan mo, may 3 years pa yung brother ko,” Yap quoted Kris as saying. (Remember: my brother still has 3 years in office.)

Kris though has denied using her brother in her legal dispute with Yap.

The President’s sister is a controversial celebrity whose marital and personal problems have played out in the public over the years. 

Kris’ earlier disputes with ex-boyfriends, actors Phillip Salvador and Joey Marquez, also became public, with her mother, the late President Cory Aquino, even appearing by her side on TV interviews. – Rappler.com