ALV Talent Circuit, the management team headed by Arnold Vegafria, defended Jessa Zaragoza from the latest controversy alleging that the singer's marriage with Dingdong Avanzado had hit rock bottom.
But more than the separation issue itself, ALV Talent Circuit shielded its talent against the tirades issued by talent manager Girlie Rodis against Jessa in connection with the issue. Girlie is Rachel Alejandro's handler.
The name of Rachel Alejandro was dragged into the picture after accusations were made pointing at the daughter of pop icon, Hajji Alejandro, as the catalyst behind the supposed separation.
Dingdong and Rachel were former lovers and the two recently staged a concert dubbed as Music & Lyrics at Metro Bar in Quezon City.
RACHEL'S CAMP FIRES BACK. In a March 24 article posted here in PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), both Jessa and Dingdong denied the circulating rumor. (Click here to read related story.)
"Di mawawala ang di pagkakaintindihan minsan ng mag-asawa, normal lang yun, di ba? Pero di kami hiwalay. We are very much together. Mahal na mahal namin ang isa't isa lalo na't may Jayda [the couple's daughter] kami and God is the center of our lives," explained Jessa.
Jessa then granted an interview which appeared in a daily broadsheet. Once again, Jessa brushed off the separation rumor: "Dingdong and I are having a problem and we are trying to solve it. But we are not separated. Pinaiiral namin ang pagiging Christian namin not to let anybody break our marriage."
The article, however, seemed to convey a tone of distrust and resentment on Jessa's part toward Rachel, as suggested by the line, "Jessa was silent when asked if Rachel is involved in the problem."
Jessa's interview apparently did not sit well with Rachel's manager, who vented her ire through a posting on her Facebook account under the title, "Jessa—Please stop this already!"
The text of Girlie Rodis's entry was posted here in PEP yesterday, March 26 (Click here to read related article). At the end of her entry she wrote: "Maybe what bothers Jessa is not really that she believes there is something going on because clearly Rachel is no longer attracted to Dingdong, but the fact that there is more of a clamor for the Dingdong-Rachel tandem that there is for the Jessa-Dingdong one."
ALV DEFENDS JESSA. In an e-mail sent to PEP earlier today, March 27, ALV Talent Circuit issued a statement on Jessa's behalf. The statement was referring both to the broadsheet article's supposed sources and Girlie Rodis's subsequent reaction.
The entire statement reads:
"We would like to emphasize that Jessa never issued such statements implicating Rachel, and would never even resort to issuing press releases that would prove defamatory to anyone's character.
"The said statements implicating Rachel, and allegedly coming from Jessa, were attributed to a third and unnamed party who purportedly has very close ties with the couple, but whose credibility remains questionable.
"Perhaps, it was these 'questionable' statements that prompted Ms. Rodis to deny any allegations implicating Rachel in the controversy, and to protect her good name and reputation.
"Both veterans in the talent management industry, Mr. Vegafria and Ms. Rodis have been good friends and have worked professionally together for many years. As such, both parties would not resort to any form of cheap gimmickry or publicity to draw attention to any of their artists.
"Although both parties are saddened by the current turn of events implicating their artists, Mr. Vegafria and Ms. Rodis firmly believe that such issues will be finally put to rest, and that truth will eventually prevail."