Susan not aware of FPJ farewell song

Even in his death, the late presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) remains an enigma.

He had been highly secretive even to loved ones, including his widow, award-winning actress Susan Roces.

Roces expressed surprise over the existence of a song written and sung by her late husband, expressing his regrets of not being able to serve his countrymen after allegedly being "cheated" in the May 2004 presidential elections.

The widow of the late action star called up The Star yesterday to clarify that she was not the source of the CD of FPJ’s Tagalog version of the popular ballad "My Way," written by Paul Anka and the signature song of American balladeer Frank Sinatra.

FPJ’s version of the Sinatra ballad titled "Sa Iyong Hangganan (Until Your End)."

"I have yet to hear it (FPJ song) myself," Roces said. "If there is such a recording, I’m not aware of it."

She, however, did not discount the possibility that the song might have been lifted from the video project that her husband was working on at his FPJ Studio in Quezon City when he suffered a massive stroke on Dec. 11, 2004. He died three days later in a hospital.

Roces recalled Poe was deep into his election protest against the alleged cheating that marred the results of the 2004 presidential elections.

"Simple as Mr. Poe is, he really detests cheating. He detests also quarreling. He detests arguments. His point is once he says his piece, that’s it. That is his character," Roces pointed out.

More than a year after Poe’s death, Roces believes her husband continues to watch over his family."I know Ronnie is very much around to check on what’s happening to me daily."

It was Poe’s bosom buddy, deposed President Joseph Estrada who had been given a copy of the recording. The CD also contains other movie songs previously recorded by Poe as well as Estrada’s tribute — a reworded version of Nonoy Zuñiga’s "Doon Lang" — played during the burial of the action star.

Reached by The Star by cell phone yesterday, Estrada said he was given the CD on the eve of Poe’s 67th birthday last Sunday, but declined to say from where it came.