Balesin owner clarifies Heart-Chiz ‘wedding bump-off’ issue

MANILA, Philippines – The owner of Balesin Island Club clarified a report that a couple’s wedding date was postponed or bumped off due to actress Heart Evangelista and Sen. Chiz Escudero’s wedding allegedly being held on the same date at the resort next year.

In a statement, Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin said he was the one who invited the couple and upon checking with his secretary booked the date for Heart and Chiz, who got engaged last August 23.

Here is the complete statement:

“I am presently in Europe, but my daughter Anna and nephew Apa have just called my attention to a Facebook entry in which someone claimed that their friends were “bumped off” for their proposed February 14 (Valentine’s Day) wedding at Balesin. At first, I was amused by the report, but it seems to be getting some traction and I wanted to set the record straight for everyone,” he said. 

“I wish everyone to know that it was I who actually invited Heart and Chiz to have their wedding at Balesin when I had dinner with them shortly after they returned from their trip to Paris sometime in July and even before they announced their formal engagement. I was therefore very pleased when Chiz and Heart called me a few weeks ago to tell me that they had finally decided on Balesin as their wedding venue. As many of you know, both Chiz and Heart have been friends of mine for some time now. Balesin is one of their favorite places and they go there quite often with their families and friends.

“After receiving the confirmation from Chiz and Heart, I immediately checked with our Reservations people who told me that nobody had actually confirmed February 14 as of that time, so I told them to block it off. So, nobody has been “bumped off.” 

“I think Heart and Chiz prefer the Royal Villa (which is presently under construction and will be completed by October), but they are also thinking about Toscana Village, which is quite a magnificent venue for a wedding. 

“Actually, as long as the wedding parties do not consist of a thousand people, but only a few hundred guests, we can accommodate more than one wedding party at Balesin, even during peak season. 

“I have dictated this to my secretary from Europe because I think it is a serious matter in which innocent people are being unfairly criticized, and in order to settle the issue once and for all.”

Couple speaks up

In an interview with the press Monday, September 1 during an event for one of Heart’s endorsements, Heart denied that they were the cause of the “bump-off.” 

“Actually, I think it’s really unfair that there are people on Facebook… and the way they say it na parang they know all the details,” she said.

“There’s no truth to it. I think that’s the best way that I could answer that.”

“We’re not like that. This is the best day of our lives, I’m a bride-to-be, she’s a bride-to-be. Who would do that to any bride-to-be? “There’s no truth to it and I hope ma-iron out nila,” she added. (I hope they can iron it out.)

Chiz also clarified the report during an interview at the Senate on Tuesday, September 2. 

“Actually, hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit nagkakaroon ng issue. Kung may issueman sila sa Balesin, issue nila yun. Sa parte namin, ni wala pa kaming pinal na petsa o lugar. Paano naman kami magiging dahilan at madadamay sa issue na yan?,” he told Senate reporters on Tuesday, September 1.

(Actually, I don’t understand why this became an issue. If they have an issue with Balesin, it’s their issue. On our part, we haven’t even finalized the date and place [of our wedding] How can we be the reason [of the postponement] and become part of that issue?) – Rappler.com