Arjo Atayde’s fellow artists defended him after netizens claimed that the actor abandoned his co-workers after testing positive for COVID-19.
On August 18, Feelmaking Productions Inc. issued an official statement saying that Atayde tested positive for the virus while shooting for his new movie for the production company in Baguio City.
According to the statement, Atayde was “suffering from high fever, headaches, and difficulty in breathing” so the actor was rushed to a hospital in Manila on August 17.
Even though Atayde got his much-needed medical assistance, some netizens claimed that the actor abandoned his co-workers in Baguio.
Atayde’s co-workers then defended him by explaining that the actor did not abandon them.
Actor Manuel Chua explained in a lengthy Instagram post that Atayde took care of them from afar.
“Hindi po kamu inabandona ni Arjo Atayde, kami po una niya iniisip lagi, bago sarili niya. Sobra-sobra po pag-aalaga niya sa amin.
“Wala pong pang aabandona na nangyari, at wala pong pagpapabaya sa mga kasama na nangyari. Lahat po kami ay inalagaan ni Arjo at buong production ng Feelmaking,” he said.
Jobert Austria said that Atayde did not leave them because he was rushed to the hospital.
“Kung iniwan kami sir patay na kami. Hindi nang iwan ‘yung tinakbo sa hospital kasi ayaw nga niya umuwi dahil nag-aalala siya sa amin,” he said.
He even shared an article that explains that their production team did not violate any pandemic protocols while filming in Baguio.
Alexa Miro also defended Arjo by debunking the rumors saying that the actor abandoned them.
She noted that Atayde did not want to leave for the hospital first, but his co-actors were the ones who insisted that he get medical attention.
“Many are saying Arjo Atayde left and abandoned us in Baguio when he tested positive for COVID-19. That, first and foremost, is FALSE.
“Us, his co-actor, were very worried as well and wanted him to receive immediate proper medical care despite him insisting he did not want to leave us behind. And that, he DID NOT do,” she wrote on Instagram.
Aside from Atayde’s co-actors, his girlfriend Maine Mendoza also defended him from bashers.
Mendoza explained that she did not tolerate her boyfriend and that people don’t know the whole story.
Currently, the Feelmaking Productions team has been given the go-signal to resume their production in Baguio.
