For nearly two years, Judy Ann Santos successfully hid from the public the fact that she has an adopted child. The actress said she wanted to guard the child against the harsh media glare and the attendant trauma inflicted on the innocent one if confronted by adoption rumors at an early age.

Almost a family member

Thus, it wasn’t hard to justify Juday’s rage when a writer recently devoted a whole pictorial about her child in a monthly glossy. What enraged Juday most was that the perpetrator was a trusted media friend, whose closeness to the Santoses made her almost a member of the family.

The erring media person has apologized profusely, saying it had all been an error in judgment but Juday is so irate and hurt she sent word to the disgraced writer friend “na huwag na munang magpakita” and dare earn the brunt of her wrath.

Not that Juday is unforgiving, says one from her inner circle, but she feels betrayed it will take some time before her anger subsides. “Hindi nagtatanim ng galit si Juday, ha!” the insider adds..

74 dead in ‘Wowowee’ stampede

The number of fatalities has now reached 74, while 600 has been listed injured in the deadly stampede by a throng of 30,000 all trying to gain entrance at the Philsports Arena (formerly ULTRA) early morning of Feb. 4 for the first anniversary episode of the ABS-CBN game show “Wowowee.”

Thousands, some coming from neighboring provinces, came to the arena in hopes of entering the game show at which a top prize of P1 million can be won in one of the game portions.

Big prizes

Days before the event, the show called on televiewers to come watch the live first anniversary telecast of “Wowowee” with the promise of big prizes ranging from refrigerators, jeepneys, tricycles and cash.

It was while the crowd was lining up for tickets when the stampede happened. What triggered the accident was not clear to authorities at press time but one eyewitness said he heard someone shout “bomb!” when all hell broke loose. Men, women and children, some who had camped at the venue a day before the show, were trampled, crushed and squashed by a throng gone wild trying to get to the choice seats of the arena.

Inside the arena, host Willie Revillame later came out on stage in tears announcing the day’s show had been cancelled. With him was Vice President Noli de Castro, who made it clear that he was there not as someone from ABS-CBN but as a government official. Charo Santos, the network’s executive vice president for entertainment, also came out to announce that ABS-CBN would take care of the funeral expenses of the fatalities, as well as the hospitalization cost of the injured.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, blamed “poor organization” for the tragic event even as Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the National Communication Commission will probe into the “possible culpability” of ABS-CBN.

Pacquiao not playing himself in bio flick

The film project of Manny Pacquiao’s life story is now underway. “Para sa ‘Yo” (The Manny Pacquiao Story) a joint venture of FLT Films and Star Cinema, will topbill Jericho Rosales as Manny.

Three contenders are up for the role of Manny’s wife Jinkee. They are Bea Alonzao, Kristine Hermosa and Heart Evangelista. Angel Locsin’s name is also being mentioned but, although she is the choice of FLT producer Rose Flaminiano and Manny himself, Angel is exclusively contracted to GMA-7 and is unlikely to be able to work on the film.

Jinkee says if she has her way, she refers Kristine to be her portrayer because she finds the actress her kamukha. Hmm, wonder if isnabera Kristine agrees to that.

Rudy Fernandez will have a “special participation” billing as the trainer/mentor of Manny/Jericho. His role is described no less as something akin to that of Clint Eastwood’s in “Million Dollar Baby.”

Joel Lamangan will direct from the script of Roy Iglesias. Cameras will start rolling in mid-February at locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Manila.