After a year, iWant Oh My Mando star Alex Diaz finally broke his silence to defend his friend Tony Labrusca on rumors linking the two of them together.
For Alex, it was unfair for Tony to be accused of having a secret affair with him, and even the latter’s career was affected by the issue.
He said: “Kaya ako nag-speak out kasi kawawa din si Tony. Naging unreasonable din yung effect sa career niya. I’m never going to be silent when one of my friends is being persecuted. Even if it means I will be persecuted as well. So you have to defend your friends, if I don’t defend them siyempre kung anong gustong paniwalaaan ng masa yun ang papaniwalaan nila.”
Alex also shared why he went back to the Philippines on the same day with Tony, which has caused the latter to be accused of having a secret affair. According to Alex, he was the one who invited Tony to go bungee-jumping when he got to Vancouver.
He continued: “Nung nangyari yung airport incident, pareho kaming galing Canada nun. Kasi nakatira ako sa Calgary, Alberta, nakatira siya sa Vancouver. So sabi ko ‘Bro, uuwi na rin ako ng Pilipinas. Mag-bungee jumping tayo.’ So may layover talaga sa Vancouver para makauwi. So nag-stop ako sa Vancouver, then bungee jumping kami, nagsabay kami uwi. Yun yun.”
Alex also admitted that online bashers just made the situation worse which led to Tony’s altercation with immigration officers.
“I think dahil sa nangyaring incident sa kanya, maraming immigration ang na-offend. So may gumawa ng anonymous account na wala ding profile picture kaya super stressed ako. I was like, ‘Don’t listen to internet trolls kasi mga gumawa ngfake account tapos siya nagsabi na parang, ‘Kasama pa niya yung siyota niyang si Alex sa airport’ and kumagat yung masa.”
Meanwhile, after the airport incident, Tony released an official statement:
“I am deeply sorry for my reaction, I admit I was a bit frustrated and that I asked why I was only given 30 days to stay in the country this time. I was unaware of the policy that because I was not with my mother, I did not qualify for a Balikbayan stamp. It was very upsetting for me. And I’m sorry that I somehow took my frustrations out on the Officer.
But never did I ever call anyone stupid, nor an idiot much less brag about being a celebrity… My biggest mistake perhaps was letting my emotions get the better of me and again I’m sorry. I know for a fact that the officer is merely doing her job. My biggest mistake perhaps was letting my emotions get the better of me and again I’m sorry.
It was a long flight from Canada and while it is not a perfect excuse, I would like to start this year fresh both in my life and the people I’ve encountered with. Once again, I am deeply sorry for my reaction.—Tony Labrusca.”
