Charles Teves
Veteran entertainment columnist Lolit Solis defended Arnold Clavio after Sarah Balabagan, a former OFW who was once sentenced to death, alleged that the Kapuso broadcaster is the father of her firstborn child.
“Si Arnold Clavio naman ang nasa news Salve. Katawa dahil matagal ng issue iyan na paulit ulit na lang binubuksan pag gusto ‘buwisitin’ si Arnold,” Solis said.
“Isa sa pinaka mahusay at fair radio journalists natin si Arnold Clavio, iyon private life niya hindi kahit kelan naka interfere sa kanyang fair judgement at mga komentaryo,” she added.
Lolit doesn’t think that this issue is enough to ruin Clavio entirely.
“Hindi iyan isang lumang issue ang puwede sumira sa kredibilidad ng isang Arnold Clavio. Kung anuman ang tutoo, kung anuman ang gusto nila palabasin sa pagbubukas ng isang private na bagay sa buhay ng isang tao, this time sure ako papalpak ang plano nila kay Arnold Clavio,” she said.
Lolit also said that Arnold can handle this and that critics should just leave the issue alone.
“He is a good man, a good person doing his job, hayaan natin siya. Kaya mo iyan Arnold, ikaw pa, Idol kita noh,” she said.
However, Clavio doesn’t seem bothered by the controversy. He instead posted on Instagram showing everyone that the issue is beneath him.
Balabagan recently said on Facebook live that Clavio impregnated her with her first child. She decided to reveal it because of a “viral post.”
“Ang ama po ng panganay ko ay yes, si Arnold Clavio po, siya po ang ama. It’s God’s will ng Panginoon (na gawin ko ito) para maitama ko na yung mga dapat itama…ang maituwid and dapat maituwid.” she said.
Balabagan was an OFW in the UAE and was imprisoned from 1994 to 1996 after she killed her employer over an attempted rape.
Clavio was one of the reporters who covered her case and the two ended up dating each other, according to Balabagan.
Trixie Cruz Angeles, an attorney who was suspended by the Supreme Court in 2016, says Clavio is no longer responsible for any child abuse charges since the prescriptive period is between 12 years and one day and 20 years.
“If the child born out of the act is now 21, it’s prescribed (expired),” she said.
“If she was 17 when it happened and she filed, there was a crime, but she didn’t, so he gets away with it,” she added.
Balabagan’s child is already 21 years old and Clavio cannot be sued for any child abuse-related crime.
