Kapuso actor Richard Yap, who threw his hat again into a congressional bid for Cebu City’s District 1, vehemently denied the claims of a certain Joshua Paolo Jensen that he is an illegitimate son of the actor.
“I’ve been in show business for ten years and I still have a child. As you can see that person is not from Cebu. He doesn’t know how to speak Bisaya. Why is he filing in Cebu? Who is behind that?” Yap told Cebu Daily Inquirer in mixed English and Cebuano.
On October 28, Jensen filed a “compulsory recognition of natural child” or “acknowledgment of paternity and affiliation” at the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.
He said that Yap has never recognized him as his son.
“Nag-contact ako through Facebook, social accounts, sa wife niya, sa anak niya. Wala po. Blinock lang nila ako. Matagal ko na siyang hinahanap,” he claimed.
Jensen also said in a report on Pep.ph that they even tried to go to ABS-CBN when Yap was still a Kapamilya actor.
“Nagpunta na rin ako ng ABS-CBN kasama ng mga lola ko at mommy ko, kaso lagi sinasabi out of town siya,” he said.
He said that he first found out that the actor is his father when he was 10-12 years old. His mother is identified as Cherymae Valdez.
He denied that the claims are not politically motivated. “Hindi po yaan totoo,” he said in a Facebook post.
