After saying they’re ‘not a thing,’ Diego Loyzaga admits dating Franki Russell

MANILA, Philippines – Actor Diego Loyzaga has admitted that he is dating former Pinoy Big Brother housemate Franki Russell, despite earlier saying that they were “not a thing” and that he wanted to remain single for the time being.

Diego opened up about his relationship status with RX 93.1 DJ Rico Robles on an episode of his show, All Out. 

“You know what, I’m a hypocrite, I said I wanted to focus on myself, but I guess these things you don’t expect it, it really just comes along. And ever since meeting up with her and hanging out with her, it hasn’t stopped, we really did click. So I would definitely say that right now, we’re dating,” he said.

He also clarified his earlier statement on their relationship status, when he told Dolly Anne Carvajal in her Philippine Daily Inquirer column: “Franki and I are not a thing…I just want to be single for now.”

“That article kasi, the person who asked me, it was in passing and it was so frank,” he said, adding that some of the questions he was asked made him compare Franki to his previous girlfriend.

“And I was like, wait, wait, wait. We’ve known each other for 10 days. We’re not a thing…I can’t give a label that we’re you know, something right now,” he said. 

“Kami na, ganun (we’re together, just like that)? I can’t. Ang kapal naman ng mukha ko kung sabihin ko, ‘oh, yeah, kami na,’ (it would be arrogant of me to assume that we’re together)…I haven’t even asked her…we’ve just been seeing each other,” he said. 

He was quick to add that that is no longer the case, and that as far as he is concerned, he is exclusively dating Franki.

“I guess I’m the type of guy that if I’m dating one girl, the rest I’m not gonna talk to. Like if there are other girls that I was talking to, I would stop talking to them. I’m talking for myself. I have to go talk to her and be like, ‘Are we on the same page?’” he said.

Franki and Diego were first linked when Franki posted flirty photos of her and Diego on Instagram to greet him on his birthday. She deleted the post soon after, but greeted Diego again via Instagram stories.

Diego was previously in a relationship with actress Barbie Imperial, though they confirmed their breakup to the public in February 2022. Meanwhile, Franki was previously linked to race car driver Marlon Stockinger. – Rappler.com