Popular balladeer-businessman Bert Nievera and his wife Carol have reportedly fled to the United States following the closure of several of his businesses in the Philippines, leaving millions of pesos in debt to associates including his son, singer Martin Nievera, a report yesterday said.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, in an exclusive report, said that aside from Martin, among the showbusiness friends whom the couple owes money are former starlet Annabel Rama and singer-producer couple Franco and Ayen Laurel and singer Jinky Llamanzares.

The Nievera couple partly owns franchises to the Country Waffles food chain in the Philippines as well as the Hard Rock Café and Bubba Gump Restaurant.

The Laurels, Rama and Llamanzares are some of their investors. Martin, who was sired by Bert from his first wife Conchita Razon, was reportedly owed P3 million ($54,545) by his father.

"Martin tried to help his father. But when he lent his father money, he didn't know what it was for," Razon was quoted by the Inquirer as saying.

The Laurels, in an interview by local radio station ABS-CBN, accused the Nievera couple of squandering their investments on their lavish lifestyle.

"They live in an expensive condominium in Makati City, bought several cars and are frequently on trips to the United States," Ayen said.

Bert, who as a balladeer was known as the "Johnny Mathis of the P
hilippines," had been holding free concerts to friends at his restaurants for free, Franco said.
Bert and Carol told their employees that they left the country after they received death threats from employees of Country Waffles.

"I know several other people who receive death and kidnap threats but they are still in the Philippines," Ayen said while pointing out that there may be other reasons why the Nieveras had fled to the United States.