Aiko vs Happy: She said, she said

Aiko Melendez said that her first name is Japanese for "love." Happy Ongpauco was named so by her parents, former actress Liberty Ilagan and former actor-now-restaurateur Rod (Evans) Ongpauco, because she exudes happiness.

But what happened two Saturdays ago at an open-air bar/restaurant in Greenbelt 2, Makati City, was neither "love-ly" nor happy. By this time, showbiz-watchers must be familiar with that unfortunate incident because Aiko has been talking about it on national television (but Happy has so far opted to keep quiet).

Briefly now...

Aiko said:

"On my way to the Ladies Room, I passed by the table of a group which earlier had been calling me names like ‘loser,’ ‘slut’ and ‘addict.’ The group refused to budge so I could pass. Then, a guy (from the group) didn’t only touch my boobs but mashed them. Naturally, my bodyguard came to my defense and a free-for-all followed. Then, I noticed that among the group was Happy Ongpauco who shouted at me, ‘Ang taba-taba mo kasi, you bitch!’

I reported the incident to the Makati police."

(Note: Happy, who owns the World Topps chain of restaurants, is happily married to Wowie Rivera who was Aiko’s boyfriend before Aiko married Jomari Yllana; their marriage has been annulled.)

Happy said:

"I was treating my balikbayan friends to a nightout that weekend. There were about eight of us in the group, including the girlfriends of some of the guys. I was standing on the aisle talking to a friend when I felt somebody bumped me. She turned out to be Aiko Melendez. Later, I learned that Aiko even pushed the chair on which my friend was seated, hitting my friend’s thigh. My friend and I have bruises to show for it, me on my arm and my friend on her thigh. I never shouted at Aiko. A commotion followed. We reported the incident to the Makati police. I’m a peace-loving person. My family and friends can attest to that."

The protagonists, as you can see, are powerful and influential. Aiko is a second-termer Quezon City Councilor while Happy belongs to a rich family (Heart Evangelista is her first cousin, their fathers being brothers.)

Both parties, backed by top lawyers, have filed cases against each other.

How will this whole mess end?

Let’s wait and see.

Won over by M.Y.M.P.

I couldn’t say no to Ivory Records boss Tony Ocampo so, rushing through deadlines, I went to Music Museum two Saturdays ago to catch the first major concert of the duo M.Y.M.P. (Make Your Momma Proud). Honestly now, I didn’t intend to stay beyond the second song of the duo who, I’m quite sure, is a total stranger to Baby Boomers whose music preference ranges from The Beatles to the BeeGees or some such groups which reigned supreme in soundsville in the ’60s and ’70s.

Don’t look now but I stayed on for two-thirds of the concert. I couldn’t leave not because Tony Ocampo was seated beside me but because – yes, I now confess – I found the M.Y.M.P. duo Juris (Fernandez) and Chin (Alcantara) such good singers. I grooved to their songs circa the ’60s and ’70s (sounds familiar, you know!) and I discovered to my pleasant surprise that I also liked the duo’s signature songs like Tell Me Where It Hurts and Especially For You.

The night’s guest performers were Top Suzara (who has cut ties with Freestyle) and Ogie Alcasid who was on crutches because of an injured foot. ("I stepped on a nail during the shoot for Extra Challenge," Ogie later told Funfare.)

Juris and Chin easily connected to the audience which filled up the Music Museum, composed mostly of pre-teens and teenagers (five of them in my company) who willingly sang along with the duo. The fact that Juris and Chin kept that friendly smile on their faces (even while singing and simply delivering spiels) made them more appealing and lovable.

Tony Ocampo told me that the M.Y.M.P.’s Versions and Beyond are already six-times platinum (more than 200,000 copies sold, pirated copies not counted).

If I didn’t have another appointment that night, I would have stayed until the M.Y.M.P.’s encore number! Next time, Tony Ocampo. Promise!

Next time will be on Nov. 18 when the M.Y.M.P. will have another concert at the Araneta Coliseum, produced by Calvin Niera of Live Artists Productions, Inc. (with Jay Durias, Duncan Ramos and Vince Alaras of South Border among the guest performers).

Tony Ocampo told me that tickets to the Oct. 1 Music Museum show were sold out in less than a month. (For ticket inquiries about the Big Dome show, call SM Ticketnet or Araneta Coliseum at 911-5555.)

Token, the ‘Charity Diva’

Because she often sings for charity, Token Lizares (of Bacolod) has earned the title Charity Diva – with pleasure.

But her show two Saturday nights ago at the Hyatt’s Calesa Bar was only partly "for charity," but more for friends (and other strangers).

Somebody who was there said that the Calesa Bar "was jampacked."

Among those in the audience were Token’s fellow Bacolodnon Jose Mari Chan and Rep. Monico Puentebella who gamely sang five songs with Token. Puentebella opened the 26th Masskara Festival in Bacolod that morning but flew to Manila purposely to watch Token’s show with his wife Josefa who took the opportunity to launch here book, Touching Hearts (part of the proceeds will go to various charity organizations). Token’s other friends, led by Patty Cuayong, also flew to Manila from Bacolod in a show of support.

"I was nervous one hour before the show because there were only very few people around," Token was quoted as saying. "No thanks to the traffic. But 10 minutes before the show, not a seat at the calesa Bar was empty."

Token is back in Bacolod for the Masskara show at the Saltimboca Bar, with GMA mainstay Shiela Mercado, on Oct. 13, 14 and 15, Then, she’ll fly to Japan for a six-month stint.

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