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MANILA — Mariel Rodriguez denied that she was the one who actually “courted” Robin Padilla back when they were just co-hosts of the now-defunct ABS-CBN noontime show “Wowowee.”

This was contrary to what Padilla narrated when he appeared on “Magandang Buhay” in December 2017.

Speaking for herself during her own guesting in the morning program, Rodriguez recalled: “It was the birthday of Tita Cory Vidanes. It was Tita Linggit Tan, sabi niya sa akin, ‘May boyfriend ka ba? Gusto ka ni Robin.’ Sinabi niya sa akin kaagad. So sabi ko, ‘Oh, gusto ako.’ Single ako noon.”

However, she did not deny that she indeed wrote letters for Padilla every day at that time. But Rodriguez also has an explanation for that.

“Noong time na 'yun, ang alam namin two weeks lang si Robin [na co-host]. We really wanted him to stay kasi nakita namin na perfect siyang host dahil tanggap siya ng tao at genuine siya sa ginagawa niya. So it is true that every day, I wrote him a letter to stay pero hindi ko sinasabi kung sino ako. Dinidikit ko sa dressing room niya para ma-feel niya kung gaano siya ka-welcome sa amin,” she said.

According to Rodriguez, she never thought they would actually become a couple.

“Hindi ko naman inisip na magkakatotoo talaga. So nag-aasaran. Hanggang na-realize ko na sandali, parang kinikilig ako,” she said.

“Ang sabi [sa akin], huwag daw tumingin sa mata. Eh si Robin, kung ano-ano ang mga pinagbububulong tulad ng ‘Ang bango mo naman.’ Habang nagtratrabaho 'yun, habang may contestant. So si Mariel naman siyempre, kinikilig din ‘di ba?” she said.

After Padilla’s stint on the show, Rodriguez said he didn’t get in touch with her right away.

“It wasn’t right away na nag-text siya nung wala na siya. So akala ko, okay ganun lang pala 'yun. Tapos biglang nag-text. Next scene, birthday na ni Tita Linggit, tapos sabi nila mag-stay daw ako, 'yun pala dadating si Robin. So kasama talaga 'yung buong ABS sa love story. Kinunsinti nilang lahat,” she said.

After everything that happened, Rodriguez admitted that she really fell in love with Padilla.

“First he asked me kung meron daw bang kailangang kausapin and then he layed down his cards. Sinabi niya, ‘Ganito ako. May mga anak ako. May pamilya akong sinusuportahan. Importante sa akin ang Mindanao.’ Those are the things na I will always understand… Ang deal ko naman sa kanya isa lang. Kailangan ako lang,” she said.

Padilla and Rodriguez are set to celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary in August. They have a one-year-old daughter, Isabella.

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