Kris Aquino says she needs ‘space’ from James Yap

(Updated 10:32 p.m.) Television personality Kris Aquino on Sunday said she would move out of the house she is sharing with husband, cager James Yap, in order to have some “space" in light of the current controversy hounding their marriage. She, however, clarified that she and Yap, a basketball player, have not formally split up. “I'm not saying that the marriage is over. In my heart, gusto ko [I want] the marriage to work for our kids. I'm not putting a period. I'm not saying this is the end of the road," she told co-host Boy Abunda in The Buzz aired over ABS-CBN Sunday afternoon. “I'm hoping and praying maayos namin lahat pero kailangan ko rin ng [that we can work things out, but I still need] space," she added. Aquino, younger sister of presidential aspirant Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III, said she and her two sons, Joshua and Baby James, will be staying with her elder sister Pinky for the meantime.
Crying lady Aquino’s statement came following reports that she went to the house of a certain Mayen Austria, a female fan of Yap’s basketball team, the Purefoods TJ Giants, to confront the latter about a conversation she had with Yap. During the interview, Aquino recounted how she overheard Austria crying while she was talking with Yap on his cellular phone. “When he answered, I heard a girl crying. I could hear their conversation because it was quiet in the house," she said. She added that she later learned from Yap that Austria was having problems with her love life. “Sabi ni James nagsabi sa kanya na iniwan daw ng isang guy and 'di alam ang gagawin.’ I asked him kung kilala niya iyong guy, he said no. So nagtaka ako, I said bakit ikaw ang iniiyakan? I pointed out to James it was not proper," she said. (James told me the girl was left by her boyfriend and didn’t know what to do. I asked James if he knew the guy and he said no. So I was baffled. I said, Why would that girl call you? I pointed out to James it was not proper.) Aquino admitted going to Austria’s house, which is just a couple of blocks away from their residence in Valle Verde 2 in Pasig City, but denied insulting her. “Never ako nagmura, never nanlait. Pinaramdam ko lang ang aking [I never verbally abused her. I just expressed my] displeasure," she said. She also said she was “very calm" when she talked with Austria’s mother. Aquino also appealed to the public not to use the issue to “politically attack" her brother, who is a consistent leader in various presidential preference surveys. None of our business Malacañang, meanwhile, distanced itself from the marital issue hounding Aquino and Yap, and said it should not be linked to Noynoy's candidacy. “The sin of Juan is not the sin of Tomas. This is purely a private and domestic affair of Kris Aquino," said Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III. He said the issue is “a very very private affair" that should be respected. He said everyone should pray that Aquino would be able to solve her domestic problems. Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar also said there is “no public interest" in the controversy because “we are not expecting any public office for Kris Aquino or anyone involved with her if Senator Aquino sits as president." - Karl B. Kaufman, GMANews.TV