New Kapamilya star Regine Velasquez has been appealing to the public to quit the criticisms on her family following her transfer from GMA network.
It has been weeks since she had officially moved to ABS-CBN, but people still continued to place negative comments on her social media posts.
Her friends in the industry, including her husband Ogie Alcasid, have also posted messages of support amid the heavy online bashing.
As of writing, she had turned off the comments section on her recent Instagram posts.
Online harassment
Velasquez’ being declared a “certified Kapamilya” last October 17, 2018 triggered the criticisms and speculations.
These were mostly directed at Alcasid alleging he influenced her to follow him there.
Asia’s Songbird that day clarified that she only asked her husband’s help to set up a meeting with the ABS-CBN management, but the decision was all hers.
“People have been saying this was his idea. Actually, hindi. It was really me. I did ask for his help — to set up a meeting with [ABS-CBN executives]. It was really me who decided,” Velasquez said.
It did not end there, though. On October 28, she shared a screenshots of comments with offensive content placed on one of her posts. The Instagram account of the person who made these remarks is no longer active.
It was the next day, on October 29, when she addressed those harassing her online and asked them to stop including Alcasid and Nate, their seven-year-old son, in the tirades they throw at her.
“Maybe you guys can stop insulting me, my husband and my son. Lumipat lang po ako ng network hindi ako pumatay ng tao,” Velasquez said.
She also added that she was grateful to the memories she built with her former employer, countering those who say otherwise.
“Again I’m grateful for my 20 years in GMA. I made a lot of friends there and I have great memories being a Kapuso,” she said.
Velasquez also thanked those who support her from the start of her career.
Alcasid on Twitter also made a similar message to those airing harmful messages on social media.
“Ang hirap maglabas ng pansariling saloobin sapagka’t marami ang nakaabang na bumatikos Kahit mas nakararami rin naman ang nakikisimpatya.ang hirap minsan,” he said.
The photos Velasquez shared in the following days included a hashtag Kapamilya in the caption.
Support from friends
Former TV host-comedian Arnell Ignacio, a long-time friend of the singer, expressed his frustrations on Facebook over those telling her off.
Ignacio then recalled the time when Velasquez was just known by her nickname “Chona,” and that she only gets to perform during intermissions on his comedy acts with other actors.
“Regine is a friend of mine way back na chona velasquez pa yan at sinisingit singit lang namin sa sing along sa BB s kapag wala na kaming joke. This woman went through all the test of an entertainer and she passed all these with exemplary grades with even more to give,” he said.
Ignacio is now a director at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
Celebrated singer-actress Lea Salonga, meanwhile, sent her a reminder on Twitter that she and many others always got her back.
“Mas maraming nasa likod mo na sumusuporta sa iyo. Yung mga ayaw sa iyo, hindi mo kawalan. Ang mga tunay na nagmamahal ay laging magmamahal sa iyo,” Salonga said.
She also described her in the following tweet as being the “most sincere and real people” in the entertainment industry.
Velasquez will reportedly be a part of a new ABS-CBN show “Idol Philippines,” a Filipino version of the US-based singing contest “American Idol.”