Senator Chiz Escudero confirms annulment

Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero III on Monday confirmed that his marriage with his wife Christine Elizabeth Flores has been annulled.

 

Escudero made the confirmation on Monday during the television show of host Kris Aquino "Kris TV" aired over ABS-CBN.

During the show, Aquino asked the senator whether he was annulled, to which he just answered:

 

"Yes, ang usapan kasi namin [ni Christine] hindi naman kami showbiz [so] hindi kami magsasalita tungkol doon."

 

He likewise admitted "seeing" actress Heart Evangelista at least twice but denied that they were dating.

 

"No. I wish, pero no," he said.

 

Aquino then said in jest that it was "impossible" he wasn't dating anyone, but the senator said it was possible because the country has too many problems for him to prioritize his love life.

 

GMA News Online is still trying to get a comment from Escudero as of posting time.

 

But in entertainment writer Ricky Lo's column published on The Philippine Star on Monday, the senator's former wife said she was "okay" and that she and Escudero were friends.

 

During Aquino's show on Monday, Escudero confirmed they were still talking.  

 

"Whenever she visits, we get to talk, but not about our personal lives. ‘Yung anak namin, ‘yung mga magulang ko, magulang niya," he said.

 

In April last year, Lo was the one who revealed that Escudero and his wife broke up and have already been living apart for five months.

 

The lawmaker, however, remained mum about the issue up until now.

 

But in his 2011 statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) released early this year, Escudero declared that he was "separated-in-fact." 

 

Escudero earned his political science and law degrees from the University of the Philippines while his wife, who was a singer and stage actress, obtained her music degree from the University of Santo Tomas. 

 

The two met when Christine was performing at the lounge of the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City in 1994.

 

They were married in 1999 and had fraternal twins named Maria Cecilia and Joaquin Cruz in 2007. 

 

Escudero said the kids were staying with him.

 

Asked by Aquino what his advice would be for her, he said: "Don’t talk about the past. Talk about the future perhaps." –KG, GMA News