MANILA, Philippines—“Spare my children.”
This was Senator Loren Legarda’s appeal on Monday when a reporter asked about how her children with former Batangas Governor Jose Antonio Leviste felt about the latter’s unauthorized trips outside his prison cell in Muntinlupa City.
Leviste was convicted for killing his assistant and long-time friend, Rafael delas Alas, in 2007.
“Siguro spare my children. You’ll be a parent also, spare my children,” said Legarda.
At first, the senator was evasive when asked to comment about her estranged husband but eventually gave in when reporters pressed for it.
Legarda said the law should be enforced to everyone whether they are rich or poor and whether or not they are in power.
With more questions on the matter, the senator asked reporters to respect her private life, saying she had long been annulled with Leviste.
“I think my statement is very clear. It addresses the issue, siguro naman naiintidihan nyo di ba? 2005 pa lang, ang tagal tagal nang panahon, hindi ko nakikita yung inyong tinutukoy. At ang haba haba ng panahon na annuled na rin kami (I guess you should all understand, since 2005 we’ve been annulled and it’s been a long time. I can’t see where you’re leading me to),” she said.
“Siguro naman pag tanungin ko ang pribado mong buhay, yung mga 7 years na hindi mo nakikita, parang hindi na relevant…Napakahaba naman na annulled na at napakahaba ng panahon na hindi na nagkikita, kaya you should respect that na ang tagal nang wala,(I guess if I ask you about your private life, the seven years you didn’t’ see, it’s not relevant anymore so you should respect that and there’s nothing more),” she added.