Actress Bela Padilla directly addressed criticism from netizens questioning why she openly criticized Senator Ronald dela Rosa but remained silent about her uncle, Robin Padilla.
The issue surfaced after Bela previously called out Dela Rosa over his controversial return to the Senate and the chaos surrounding the attempted serving of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
A netizen then questioned the actress online, accusing her of supposedly helping Robin secure a role in the ABS-CBN series ‘Blood vs Duty’ despite criticizing other politicians.
In response, Bela firmly denied having any influence over the casting decisions of the series.
“Sorry, but, what? I’m also assigned projects too. I was cast in this project in December. My uncle was added on recently,” Bela wrote on X.
“I have no power whatsoever in casting decisions. Hindi nga ako ang pinakamalaking mukha sa poster,” she added.
The actress also clarified that she and Robin have always worked separately in the industry.
“Has he added me in any of his films/shows previously? Get your facts straight. We work and are managed separately,” she stressed.
Following the growing discussions online, Bela later released a longer statement explaining her relationship with Robin and distancing her personal beliefs from his political affiliations.
“Growing up, my tito Robin was kind to me and my family. I will be forever grateful for this,” Bela shared.
However, she admitted that their relationship became more distant over the years as their careers and ideologies evolved differently.
“But as our careers flourished and took different directions, with him entering politics, our personal encounters have become scarcer. Our ideologies also differed,” she explained.
Bela also revealed that before recently sharing a call time on the set of ‘Blood vs Duty’, the last time she saw Robin was three years ago.
According to the actress, Robin’s inclusion in the show was purely a production decision and had nothing to do with her.
“This decision is purely the prerogative of the executive and supervising producers of the show. My uncle’s political affiliation has nothing to do with my personal beliefs and convictions,” she said.
Despite their differing views, Bela emphasized that they remain family while respecting each other’s differences.
“We are related but we manage to agree to disagree. I remain grateful to his kindness, but I also maintain an independent and personal sense of being in charge of my career, choices and convictions,” she concluded.
