MANILA, Philippines — More than a month before the untimely death of her brother former President “Noynoy” Aquino III on Thursday morning, actress and television host Kris Aquino bared that she has reconciled with and had been forgiven by him for a rift between them several years ago.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the elder Aquino died, the Queen of All Media apologized for the hurriedly-arranged preparations, holding back tears while explaining that they were not really expecting Noynoy’s death.
Kris said that she and Noynoy — whom she admitted publicly having a falling out with — made their peace last May 8.
“The rest of the plans ay, ‘yon pa lang ang napag-uusapan namin, pasensya na, na hindi talaga namin ito inaakalang mangyayari, nagulat talaga kaming lahat. The only thing I can say and this is the only thing I will say. God blessed me because we made our peace, May 8. But that is private,” Kris said in an interview with reporters at the Heritage Park.
“And I would like to keep that for myself, but I am so grateful na binigay ‘yon sa akin. At nagpapasalamat ako na napatawad ako at minahal ako. And to the end, ang tinuring niya sa akin ay ako ang kanyang bunso,” she added.
As a promise, Kris said that she told Noynoy to do everything she can just to be “even one percent of what he is as a man and as a Filipino”.
Details of the spat between Kris and Noynoy — arguably the two of the most famous children of former senator Benigno Ninoy Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino — was made public last July 2018.
Kris did not mention why, but she admitted that it was her fault. She confirmed it in an Instagram post where she admitted taking the bold move to contact the former president when her son Josh was confined in a hospital. Josh and Noynoy were known to be close, with the latter acting as the former’s guardian.
Rumors of Noynoy’s deteriorating health were discussed further last August 21, 2019, during the death anniversary of their father which Noynoy skipped. Kris, who was there during the program, minced no words in saying that the former president is not well, although she stopped short of saying what his condition was.
However, Kris made references to accusations thrown at Noynoy over issues that his administration faced.
Noynoy’s spokesperson Abigail Valte downplayed the issue, saying that the leader was then only sick due to flu. Later that year rumors also went viral on social media that Noynoy was brought to a hospital unconscious, and would be set to go through a heart condition.
Valte answered by saying that she was able to talk with the former president, who joked that he is only “heartbroken”.
In 2020, the siblings reunited during a family friend’s church wedding.
Early this afternoon, Noynoy’s other sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada confirmed that the former president died peacefully in his sleep, before he was rushed to the Capitol Medical Center.
Aquino-Abellada said that the death certificate pronounced Noynoy dead at 6:30 a.m. due to renal disease, secondary to diabetes.