Former movie star Rommel Padilla can’t help but feel emotional as he shared the bittersweet story on how he saw and held his son Daniel Padilla as a baby more than two decades ago.
During his guesting on ABS-CBN’s “Magandang Buhay”, Rommel said that the first time he was able to see his son was inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
He said that his former partner Karla Estrada was the one who brought Daniel to him as a baby inside the prison.
As he try to fight back the tears, he said: “’Yung mga time na talagang ako ay nasa dilim. Ligaw na ligaw ako ng mga panahon na iyan, kaya nga ako nasa kulungan. Namali ‘yung napuntahan kong lugar. Until isang gabi, hindi na visiting hours, may dumating na mga anghel.”
“Kung sino pa ‘yung taong hindi mo inaasahan na dadating. ‘Yung pumasok sa akin na gaano kalaki ang utang ko sa taong ito, sa batang ito, doon pa lang, sa tiyempo,” he added.
He said that his family became his source of strength back then.
“Hindi na ako bumitaw doon. Kami ni Karla, lagi na silang dumadalaw. Ang maganda kasi nung dumating sila, siguro after a month lang, nabigyan ako ng piyansa apila. ‘Yung aking motion to appeal na ako ay bigyan ng temporary freedom, naibigay sa akin. So nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na mabuo kami ulit kaming tatlo,” he said.
Rommel went on to say: “Alam mo naman ever since, kami ni Karla, dumating sa buhay namin na nagmahalan kami ng totoong pagmamahalan, ng totoong pag-iibigan at nagbunga ng isang DJ. Si DJ, bakit napakabait, bakit daw pogi? Isa lang ang lagi kong sagot. Kasi si DJ talaga is made from love, pure love.”
Rommel also thanked Karla for letting him be a father to Daniel and be a part of the actor’s life even though they are no longer together.
“Dahil sa ‘yo, nagampanan ko ‘yung obligasyon ko kay DJ. Siguro kung hindi ka naging ganung nanay, malamang napabayaan ko. Hindi ko siguro natutukan or hindi ko nakita ‘yung pagdating ni DJ sa edad na ito. Thank you,” he said.
Karla replied by saying that she still considers Rommel as his friend even if things did not work out between them.
“Iyan ay paulit-ulit na sinabi ko na sa lahat naman ng minahal ko, lahat naman kaibigan ko. Never akong nakaramdam ng kahit anong pitik sa tenga or kahit anong pagalit nung kaming dalawa ay nagsasama pa. So na-appreciate ko lahat ‘yun. Kaya hanggang ngayon, nung si Daniel ay lumalaki, pinagsisigawan ko na ang tatay niya ay napakabuting tao,” she said.
