Chavit says reconciliation with ex-lover is remote

BAGUIO CITY – A day after Rachel 'Che' Tiongson withdrew her petition for a permanent protection order against President Arroyo's deputy national security adviser, the controversial politician said a reconciliation was “very remote." Singson, who is in this mountain city to oversee the training of world boxing champion Manny Paquaio, said he is now “available" although he is not yet looking for a new partner. “Available ako ngayon, pero di naman ako naghahanap ng kapalit (I’m available now, although I’m not yet looking for Che’s replacement," said the former governor of Ilocos Sur, who was the subject of a mauling complaint by Tiongson. Tiongson withdrew her petition before a Quezon City family court on Wednesday for the sake of her five children with Singson. “The children want to stay with me, I asked them," Singson said. Last month, she asked the court to order Singson not to get near her within a kilometer at anytime after Singson and his bodyguards allegedly mauled her last August after they caught her with her paramour inside their family apartment. The court had earlier issued a temporary protection order (TPO) against Singson, who was unapologetic over the alleged mauling incident. “Hindi ako violent na tao (I’m not a violent person)," Singson said as he denied beating up her ex-lover. He reiterated that the circumstances surrounding their spat were extraordinary “Kung iba yan, naka- patay (If it weresomebody else, somebody would have died," he said.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Singson said Tiongson’s decision to go public with their domestic spat must have been the handiwork of other people aiming to extort money from him. “Baka sinulsulan siya ng ibang tao,"" he said without naming names. A number of women's rights advocates, notably the Gabriela group, have spoken in defense of Tiongson, who was shown on television with bruises on her face. Singson said Tiongson's claims that she was whipped were untrue. He explained that if he used a whip to hurt Tiongson the bruises would have stayed longer. He did not say what kind of beating Tiongson received, pointing out only that her bruises were gone in just five days. - GMANews.TV