Wilbert Tolentino backs Herlene Budol amid viral texts scandal, reaches out to Shaila Rebortera
MANILA, Philippines — Beauty queen-host Herlene Budol has the backing of her former manager Wilbert Tolentino as she is currently embroiled in a viral text scandal involving actor Rob Gomez.
A now-deleted post on Gomez's social media accounts contained screenshots of the actor's allegedly flirtatious exchanges with beauty queens, including Budol.
Portions of the conversations mentioned Miss Multinational Philippines 2021 Shaila Rebortera, whom Gomez has a child with and is the person Gomez alleged to have leaked the screenshots.
Budol has since released a statement denouncing the leaking of the messages and is considering filing data privacy, defamation and cyber libel cases.
Tolentino, who resigned as Budol's manager last July to focus on his health and his child, recently posted on his own Facebook account a photo with Budol in a restaurant.
The beauty queen-host commented a red heart on Tolentino's post, which prompted one user to reply and touch upon the recent scandal.
"Same na kayo ni Andrea ngayon naka-off comment mga post," said the user. "Gawa-gawa ng issue 'tas hindi din pala kaya harapin mga chismosa gaya ko! Sana naman nabusog ka na niyan, wag ka na mangain ng may asawa at pag-aari ng iba!!"
The Facebook user was comparing Budol to young actress Andrea Brillantes who was accused of being involved in the breakup of longtime partners Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.
Tolentino was quick to defend Budol, admitting to be the one who turned off commenting on Budol's post, claiming that people could not please everyone on social media.
"Matapos ang issue once we meet Shaila, always remember there are two sides of the story. Truth will always prevail and mistakes [are] part of being human," Tolentino replied to the user. "I already reach [to] Shaila since yesterday kahit hindi na ako manager ni Herlene."
Former beauty queen Bianca Manalo, another woman involved in the leaked messages, also released her own statement assuring the public she and Gomez are just friends, and that the screenshots were incomplete and posted without her consent.
The supposed exchange with Manalo contained the latter pertaining to a certain "he" in Valenzuela. Though no names were stated, social media users were quick to deduce that it might pertain to Manalo's longtime boyfriend Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who previously served as the city's 1st district congressman and mayor.
RELATED: 'Hindi ako ganung babae': Herlene Budol mulls defamation case amid leaked viral convo
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