The real story behind Rustom's exit

Now it can be told. Rustom Padilla made a hasty exit from Pinoy Big Brother's house last Wednesday not because he wanted to avoid further controversy over his admission that he's gay. The real reason is that he had to settle a bank debt.

The story is that Rustom owed a bank in the US money while he was living there. When he left the States without settling the obligation, the bank tried to go after him.

The bank had no idea where to look for Rustom in the Philippines, so it asked the help of the National Bureau of Investigation. When the bank found out that Rustom was a "housemate" in the popular reality TV show, it apparently notified the NBI. The agency wrote ABS-CBN a letter informing the network of Rustom's unpaid debt. NBI agents also talked to Ms. Linggit Tan and Lauren Dyogi, the show's director. Aside from his debt to the bank, Rustom reportedly also owed his business partners and some of his friends.

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Another housemate, Budoy (real name Errol Marabiles), is getting solid support from his Cebuano barkada. Budoy's friends are mobilizing to make sure he stays in Big Brother's house for as long as possible.

There's a reason for their backing. If Budoy makes it as the last housemate, he will donate part of his P1 million prize to Pusod, the visual-art group to which he belongs.

So his friends have been performing at Budoy's favorite haunt, the Kahayag Café on Mabolo Street and convincing the crowd to send text messages in his favor. Their plan has been working so far. After learning that Budoy was a candidate for eviction, his buddies, including two women, went so far as to strip on stage to pack the audiences in!

Budoy, who is from Samar but has made Cebu his home, definitely has a big following. It will definitely get bigger if he wins the contest.

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It was a teary farewell for Cito Alejandro as president of ABS-CBN. Mr. Alejandro wept as he delivered his speech during a despedida for him, my source tells me. He is said to be leaving ABS-CBN for Del Monte Corporation.

Mr. Alejandro also urged the network's management to get an insider as his replacement.

An ABS-CBN official told me few in the giant company will be shedding tears for Mr. Alejandro. He was never really popular among the rank and file perhaps because they considered him to be an outsider.

His policies didn't sit well with his fellow executives either. It was his idea to fix the rate at P150,000 for a 30-second commercial. That turned off the advertisers who used to pay as low as P80,000 for a commercial. The steep rate was blamed for the shelving of Ang Panday's Book 2. "The advertisers only started coming when the rate was reduced," my source said.

Ang Panday's Book 2 will finally air in April. Another reason for the delay was Heart Evangelista's persistent asthma attacks while taping the show. Once the illness strikes, she insists that Jericho Rosales stay at her side until it subsides. So the taping grounds to a stop.

Heart is also beset by financial woes, which I find hard to believe. Her family owns several Barrio Fiesta outlets so you can consider them as well off. Heart herself admits that she doesn't how the P20 million she earned from showbiz was spent by her family.

It has come to a point where the actress has decided to live alone. Her parents resented her leaving and blamed Jericho for influencing her. When Heart was confined at St. Luke's for asthma, Jericho called up her mom. When she arrived at the hospital, however, Jericho reportedly told her, "Tita, she's not ready to see you." The mother got so hurt she never talked to Heart again. The family has since cut off communication with her. They didn't even know that the couple went to Maui, Hawaii, recently.

"Isn't Maui a honeymoon place?" one showbiz observer remarked. Jericho is said to be a frequent visitor at Heart's condo, and sometimes she visits his house. Heart made it clear, however, that she and Jericho don't sleep together.

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The stars were out in force at the Pilipino Star Ngayon's 20th anniversary gala at the Westin Philippine Plaza. Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano rocked the place with a medley of his hits Destiny, Kailangan Kita, How Did You Know, Ikaw Lamang. He followed it up with songs from the 80s - Sweet Dreams, Every Breath You Take, Owner of a Lonely Heart and Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

Robert Seña was equally scintillating with his Doxology - Jesus, Joy of Man's Desiring. Ogie Alcasid did not disappoint the employees and advertisers of PSN, singing two songs from his new album under Viva Records.

Not to be outdone were Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikazee and Shamrock Vina Morales, Rachel Alejandro and Geneva Cruz had a friendly "showdown."

After the show, Vina texted me that she had fun. Edu Manzano and Jeni Hernandez were the hosts. Those who also dropped by were Wendell Ramos, Vice Mayor Anjo Yllana, Jomari Yllana (without Pops Fernandez ha!), Jeremy Marquez, Andrew Wolf and PBL player Arwind Santos and the talent of Tito Douglas Quijano, Ms. Girlie Rodis, Ms. JoAnn Maglipon, Yes! Magazine editor in chief, Ms. June Torrejon among others.