Jake Cuenca: New playboy in town?

Is Jake Cuenca slowly building himself up as showbiz’s newest playboy?

The list of women being romantically linked to him is ever-growing and if rumors are to be believed, his latest “conquest” is said to be John Lloyd’s ex-girlfriend stylist Liz Uy.

The two were recently spotted at a party. The sweetness they displayed all through the night had showbiz observers concluding there’s more to their friendship than meets the eye.

But Jake is quick to douse the rumor. On "Showbiz News Ngayon" aired February 10, 2010, the actor clarified that Liz is just among his lady friends, no more, no less.

“Birthday party niya. I just dropped by kasi Liz, along with sina Anne, Georgina… they’re all my friends,” he said.

Is he courting Liz?

“Wala, wala,” he said, laughing.

Jake recently signed up for a two-year exclusive contract with ABS-CBN. The signing up was attended by ABS-CBN’s Channel Head Cory Vidanes, Entertainment Head Linggit Tan, Business Unit Head Deo Endrinal and Jake’s manager Neil de Guia.

“Sila ang nagbigay sa akin ng big breaks ko. I’m really proud to be signing here today,” Jake said.

There are also incessant rumors that Jake is romancing young star Melissa Ricks.

For months now, reports of their being in a more-than-friendly relationship continues. But they have denied all allegations. What they did admit is occasional dating, the most recent of which was at a mall in Alabang.

When "Pinoy Big Brother" housemate Sam Pinto was interviewed, she dished out that she once dated Jake. But the actor, for reasons unknown to her, stopped seeing her. They met during a commercial shoot.

Last year, Jake’s name was also linked to Bea Alonzo after her break-up with actor Miko Palanca.

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Richard Gutierrez arraignment in "reckless imprudence" case rescheduled for March 31

The arraignment in the "Reckless Imprudence resulting to Homicide" case against Richard Gutierrez has been rescheduled, after the actor failed to show up at the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Silang, Cavite, yesterday, February 10.



The criminal case against the GMA-7 primetime star is the result of a May 22, 2009, car accident in Silang, Cavite, which claimed the life of Richard's personal assistant Nomar Pardo, 47. Richard was driving the car. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)



Richard's legal counsels Gener Asuncion, Ma. Lourdes Panganiban, and Sheryl Mallari presented to Judge Ma. Victoria N. Cupin-Tesorero a medical certificate stating the reason for the actor's non-appearance.



The medical certificate indicated that the actor was "physically unfit for travel" because he was "weak" with "acute gastroenteritis."



Judge Cupin-Tesorero accepted the medical certificate, thereby excusing the actor from the arraignment. When Nomar's lawyer Ombra Jainal objected to this, the judge said, "This is notarized. If this is not the truth, you go after the lawyer who notarized it."



Following regular court procedure, if the judge had not excused Richard, then the complainant—in this case, Lorayne Pardo, widow of Nomar and mother of his two children—can request the court to issue an arrest warrant against the respondent—Richard—for failing to appear on the day of the arraignment.



Lorayne Pardo was present in the February 10 proceeding.



Richard Gutierrez is expected to appear in Judge Tesorero's court on March 31, 2010, the date set for the next arraignment. Judge Tesorero said, "The court is allowing a new date because there is a medical report, provided this is the last time."



The judge added, "The last date is not transferable anymore."



UNFIT FOR TRAVEL. PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) obtained a copy of the medical certificate.



The medical certificate, dated February 9, 2010, was issued by the Oreta Medical Clinic, with address at St. Luke's Medical Center, in Quezon City. It was signed by the clinic's Medical Director Jose M. Oreta, Jr., M. D.



It was notarized by Atty. Christine S. Bio in Makati City on the same day.



According to the certificate, Gutierrez was found "physically unfit for travel" due to "acute gastroenteritis with dehydration."



The February 10 medical certificate had this in its remarks section: "Patient developed diarrhea for three days now. He is very weak with fever and signs of dehydration. He is advised to rest at home."

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Professional differences led Becky Aguila to part ways with Angel Locsin

Talent manager Becky Aguila acknowledged the statement of her former ward Angel Locsin that their separation was done amicably.



In an article published earlier today, February 11, here in PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), actress Angel Locsin confirmed that she is no longer under Becky's watch. The talent-manager relationship between the two had been a source of speculation in the past few months.



Initially, some thought that Angel would join Viva Artist Agency, given Becky's decision to sign a co-management deal with the said group in overseeing the careers of Jennylyn Mercado and Valerie Concepcion. Talent manager-host Boy Abunda was also mentioned as a possible candidate to assume Becky's role.



Angel's new manager, however, turned out to be veteran entertainment columnist Ethel Ramos, who is also widely known in the showbiz circuit as the manager of Aga Muhlach.



MUTUAL DECISION. "Nag-usap kami nang maayos ni Angel. Napagkasunduan naming dalawa ang maghiwalay. Mutual decision," Becky informed PEP through a text message sent earlier today, February 11.



Obviously, the decision to let go of the partnership was a tough choice, especially for Becky. She and Angel had a long history together starting from Angel's rise to stardom as part of GMA-7's roster of young talents to her controversial transfer to rival network ABS-CBN. The sudden shift in network alliance earned both Angel and Becky a lot of harsh criticism.



"Magkasama kami sa hirap at ginhawa for eight years. Marami kaming pagsubok na dinaanan. May hangganan ang lahat. Nothing permanent except change. Basta ang imporante ay nagkahiwalay kami nang maayos," continued Becky's text message.



Becky proudly mentioned that she was still able to secure certain pending deals for Angel, including a network contract and product endorsements, before they parted ways.



"For the rest of the commercial inquiries and endorsement renewals, ipanasa ko na kay Angel para si Manay Ethel na ang makipag-negotiate with the clients."



GROWING DIFFERENCES. "Nothing to do with money matters," Becky said about the decision to end the partnership.



Rather, they agreed to disagree. According to Becky, she and Angel have contrasting visions on the actress's career path: "Marami na kaming di napagkakasunduan. May sarili nang ideas at konsepto si Angel na naiintindihan ko naman because she's young... Life goes on."



No hard feelings, declared the talent manager, despite their growing differences. Becky is even confident that Angel will be in "good hands" with Ethel as her manager.



"Isa ring kagalang-galang na haligi ng showbiz si Manay Ethel, kaya alam ko na maaalagaan niya si Angel, kagaya ng pagmamahal at pag-aaruga ng ibinigay ko sa kanya nung kami pa."



In closing, Becky stressed her good wishes. "Ang importante sa isang samahan ay ang meeting of the hearts and minds. It's time to let go and move on. Part ways as friends and wish each other good luck for good karma."

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Angel Locsin gets a new manager: Ethel Ramos in, Becky Aguila out

Sa wakas ay nagsalita na rin si Angel Locsin tungkol sa pinag-uusapang pag-alis niya sa poder ng dating manager na si Becky Aguila at pagkakaroon ng bagong manager na tutulong sa kanyang career.



Nauna nang napabalita na ang bago raw manager ni Angel ay si Boy Abunda. Pero kapwa nila itinanggi ang balitang ito. At muli nga itong nilinaw ni Angel nang ma-interview siya ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at iba pang press pagkatapos ng presscon na ibinigay ng Mosbeau sa kanya bilang first celebrity endorser ng naturang whitening product. Ginanap ang presscon kahapon ng tanghali, February 10, sa C3 Events Place sa Greenhills, San Juan.



"Hindi po kami nag-usap ni Tito Boy," paglilinaw ni Angel. "Ang tagal ko rin naman pong hindi nagpunta ng ABS, di ba? Nakapunta lang ako noong nag-Wowowee ako, nung birthday ni Kuya Willie."



ANGEL'S NEW MANAGER. Hindi pala si Boy kundi ang veteran columnist at talent manager na si Ethel Ramos ang bagong manager ni Angel. Magkasama na sila ngayon ni Aga Muhlach sa poder ni Manay Ethel. Nakiusap naman si Angel na hindi na muna idetalye ang tungkol sa kanilang naging pag-uusap ni Manay Ethel. Basta masaya raw siya sa bago niyang manager.



Maayos ba ang naging paghihiwalay nila ni Becky, na naging manager niya sa mahabang panahon?



"Nagkausap kami, pero siyempre ayaw muna sana niyang lumabas," sagot ni Angel. "Pero walang isyu sa amin. Sana hindi rin maging isyu sa ibang tao yun. Okay din naman po sa kanya na kay Manay Ethel na ako ngayon."



Wala ba siyang kontrata kay Becky?



"Actually, may mga kontrata po kami na magkasama kami, yung sa mga endorsements. Kasi wala naman po kaming kontrata [managerial] talaga. Matagal na po kaming walang kontrata. So right now, yung mga old contracts ko po sa endorsements sa kanya pa po hanggang sa matapos ko po yung kontrata. Pero may mga bago naman na kay Manay Ethel na. Pero hindi ko pa po puwedeng sabihin," saad niya.



Bakit siya kumuha ng bagong manager?



"Sa akin kasi, ayokong ano, e...kasi may pinagsamahan kami ni Tita Becky. Siyempre si Manay din naman inirerespeto niya rin naman si Tita Becky. Ayaw naming pag-usapan kung why, why. Basta siyempre lahat naman parang moving on lang naman lahat. Pero walang isyu sa amin."



May kinalaman ba ang Star Cinema executive na si Malou Santos sa pagpili niya kay Manay Ethel bilang bagong manager?



"Lahat naman ng ginagawa ko ipinapaalam ko kay Tita Malou bilang respeto dahil sila po yung boss ko, di ba?" sabi ni Angel. "Kung anuman po yung ginagawa kong desisyon sa buhay ko ngayon sa career ko, may basbas naman po ang ABS-CBN.



"Ang totoo po, matagal na rin po namin itong inaayos. Baka kasi isipin biglaan lang. Matagal na po naming inaayos ito kaya lang naghahanap lang po kami ng proper timing. Kaya lang siguro, wala pang lumalabas kasi parang ayaw naman naming parang magmukhang nag-aaway kami ni Tita Becky."



Wala bang sama ng loob si Becky sa kanyang naging desisyon?



"Nagtatampo si Tita Becky," pag-amin niya. "Siyempre, di ba, tao lang? Pero hindi naman kami magkaaway."



AGA MUHLACH. Timing naman na sa paglipat ni Angel sa poder ni Manay Ethel ay may gagawin siyang pelikula sa Star Cinema, kasama si Aga Muhlach, na matagal nang alaga ng bago niyang manager. Dream project ba niya ang gagawin nilang movie ni Aga?



"Actually, yung kay Kuya Aga, hindi ko masasabing noon, ha, na ito ang dream project ko. Kasi lahat ng ayokong gawin, nandito sa pelikulang ito. As in siya yung kailangan kong gawin. Tapos na-realize ko na dahil dream kong makatrabaho si Kuya Aga, si Inang Olive Lamasan dream ko talagang makatrabaho, naisip ko na bakit hindi ko i-challenge yung sarili ko? Tutal, pelikula lang naman ito. Hindi naman ako as Angel dito. So, bakit hindi ako gumawa ng mahirap talaga.



"Excited ako na yun nga kung papaano ko magagawa ito. Tingnan nga natin. Pero bago yun, nagsabi na ako kay Inang. Sabi ko, 'Inang, ngayon pa lang magso-sorry na ako sa iyo kasi alam kong sisigawan mo ako.' Sabi niya, 'Huwag kang mag-alala, sisigawan talaga kita!'" natatawa niyang kuwento.



Nag-start na ba sila ng shooting?



"Hindi pa. Pero nai-present na sa akin yung story. Inaayos pa namin ni Manay yung schedule ko kung papaano."

Sa ngayon daw ay wala pang title ang movie nila ni Aga. By March 15 pa raw ang simula ng shooting nila.

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