The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
by Boy Villasanta
“Iba ang may pinagsamahan (It’s different if there’s something shared in the past),” a powerful Filipino maxim that could perfectly describe the relationship that existed among Coco Martin, his former talent manager Ihman Basas Esturco and award-winning actress Katherine Luna.
Katherine reemerged from the entertainment scene right after his controversial interview with newscaster and vlogger Julius Babao where she divulged her drug addiction, incarceration and impaired lazy eye movement caused by infection and her apology to Coco who was misrepresented as the father of her eldest daughter Nicole.
“Sana, mapatawad mo ako (I hope for your forgiveness),” begged Luna.
In an instance, Coco aired his forgiveness on the award-winning actress—2004 Best Actress in Cinemanila International Film Festival, Young Critics Circle (YCC) and Cine Fan festival of Asian and Arab Cinema for Entertainment Warehouse, Inc.-Mario O’Hara directed “Babae sa Breakwater.”
“Matagal na kitang pinatawad (I have forgiven you a long time ago),” Martin happily expressed.
Kath, Coco and Ihman have gone a long way twenty years ago when they first met on the set of Brillante Ma. Mendoza’s prizewinning masterpiece, “Masahista (The Masseur).”
The would-be “Batang Quiapo” star was the titular lead of the film project.
Basas Esturco was Martin’s manager at the time and Luna was one of the cast members of the film.
Coco and Kath fell in love with each other in their ups and downs and the living witness was Ihman.
When the couple parted ways, it was Esturco who acted as the balancing act between the two until nothing was heard from Katherine, Katherine Diaz Eson in real life except for a one or two movies to her credit.
In his most controversial stint, indeed, Martin was pinpointed by Kath as the dad of her first child which was a confusion on part of the actor who sought for a DNA test to prove once and for all the identity of the baby.
The test yielded a negative result.
Meanwhile, Coco was beginning to make a name for himself in the independent cinema movement.
Until he became a big star in the whole entertainment enterprise.
At the moment, Coco promised his ex-girlfriend to assist in her eye surgery and to cast her in the highly rated “Batang Quiapo.”
According to Ihman, he is happy for what Coco has been doing for Kath.
Apart from this, Basas Esturco said that it was Julia Montes who has been taking care of Kath.
“I’m really happy for Katherine. Imagine, it was Julia who took care of bringing her to the doctor,” informed Ihman.
For Esturco, though, the most important thing is Luna’s apologizing to Coco. “What’s truly important is that she asked for forgiveness and that Coco wholeheartedly accepted it. It’s heartbreaking to see her situation, especially knowing she has so many children. I just hope she uses the help Coco is giving her wisely,” he said.