Manila: TV host and actress Kris Aquino, the younger sister of outgoing President Benigno Aquino, brought her family for a two-month vacation in the United States, sources said, prompting speculation that the victory of opposition leader Rodrigo Duterte in the May 9 polls, could make her stay abroad much longer.
“I promised my ‘Kris TV’ (morning show) viewers I’d share with you our new home (in the US) — no more show (of this at the moment), but I’m keeping the promise. This would take time, or a little bit longer,” said the younger Aquino in her Instagram account.
Earlier, she brought a new home in Hawaii, sources said, adding she and her sons Joshua and James have been staying in this house in previous trips abroad.
In a seeming goodbye note, Aquino said on her Instagram account, “I thank my home network ABS CBN, and all our past and current (product) endorsements, for the trust and the opportunities to be a part of your lives.”
“I’ve always said my sons and I wouldn’t have what we have now had it not been for the 20 years you (my fans) allowed me to be part of your daily viewing,” Aquino added.
Denying reports that Aquino’s leave might be indefinite, TV host Boy Abunda said, “I can’t imagine showbiz without Kris Aquino.”
Earlier, she was targeted in social media after online reports showed her alighting from a presidential helicopter during a campaign rally for Mar Roxas and Congresswoman Leni Robredo, the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the ruling Liberal Party.
The country’s Fair Elections Act prohibits incumbent officials to use government assets when campaigning for public office.
Explaining the incident, President Beningo Aquino cited intelligence reports which showed the Al Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf Group had a plan to abduct his sister, including world boxing champion, Congressman Manny Pacquiao.
The young Aquino is reputed as a dynamic endorser of commercial products and politicians. But her power diminished when Roxas lost to Davao City Mayor Duterte in the polls, media analysts said.
On the other hand, the young Aquino also enhanced Robredo’s numbers. She and Sen Ferdinand Marcos Jr are running neck to neck in the counting of ballots for vice presidential candidates.
Marcos complained he was cheated.
In the evening of May 9, an official of Smartmatic, the company that provided automated system to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the May 9 elections, changed an existing “transparency script” to correct a computer error, affecting Comelec’s hash tag, reports said, adding that Robredo overtook Marcos in a surprising and steady fashion, in the early morning of May 10.
