Aquino admits dating South Korean TV host

LOOKS like President Benigno Aquino 3rd will have a date on Valentine’s Day.

The President, a 51- year- old bachelor, on Wednesday admitted that he was seeing Grace Lee, 28, a South Korean entertainment anchor who is fluent in English, Tagalog

and Cebuano.

“Well, we are seeing each other,” President Aquino told reporters at the closing of the anniversary program of the Philippine Information Agency, which celebrated its 25th year on Wednesday.

The President declined to tell the reporters when he began was dating Lee, invoking his right to privacy.

“I think I’ll leave it at that and, kung pupwede ano, baka ho mayroong… sa po natin may nakalagay na eh. Baka pwedeng mabahaginan din ako ng karapatan na ‘yon under Article III [ I think I’ll leave it at that and, if possible, maybe there is… in our Constitution there is something about privacy. Maybe I should be allowed to invoke that right to privacy],” he said to the delight of the audience.

Lee, in her afternoon television show on Wednesday, confirmed that indeed the President was dating her.

“What the President said is true,” she said.

When asked to elaborate, Lee replied, “There is no room for clarification because [ what the President said] was simple and truthful.”

When further asked to divulge details on her dates with Mr. Aquino, Ms. Lee just said, “Secret.”

The President first met Lee last year when he inaugurated a South discussion on the revocation of Basa- Guidote’s license is “irrelevant” and she even described it as a “futile exercise.”

The prosecutors were then advised by Sen. Joker Arroyo to desist from presenting pieces of evidence that they are not sure of.

Senators Edgardo Angara and Alan Peter Cayetano said that even if a corporation’s license has been revoked, it can still continue with its operations.

Cayetano added that even if the company is dissolved, it still has its stockholders “who can lend out the money.”

For the first time, Sen. Lito Lapid used his two- minute privilege to ask for a clarificatory question from the prosecutor.

Lapid asked the prosecution panel on the difference between a cash advance and a loan.

But Umali said that they were trying to seek clarification on how Corona made the P11-million cash advance from Basa-guidote that was already dissolved.

“What we are trying to prove is precisely this alleged cash advance is fictitious for so many reasons,” Umali told the Senate impeachment tribunal.

Lapid further inquired, saying, “Sa pagkahaba-haba ng pagtatanong Korean power plant in Cebu City, which hosts a sizable South Korean community, where she mistook her as Filipina in South Korean attire. Lee hosted the event. During his speech, Mr. Aquino expressed his admiration for Lee’s beauty, calling her “guwapa,” which means beautiful.

It was not clear if the President started dating the South Korean TV host after that Cebu City event.

But lately it was rumored that Mr. Aquino has been seeing somebody and some individuals identified the woman as Lee.

Rumors said that the President had a date with Lee on January 25 at an undisclosed place.

Mr. Aquino also met Lee last December 23 when he granted her an exclusive interview right inside Malacañang. mo, ano ba ang gusto mong palabasin? [ After your lengthy questioning, what would you like to prove?]”

In a slip of tongue, Umali admitted that in presenting Cataran, they were trying to prove that Corona has unexplained wealth, which issue was already decided by the impeachment court not to be taken up.

This admission earned a reprimand from Enrile, reminding the prosecutors to adhere to rulings of the court.

Defense lawyers Tranquil Salvador 3rd and Karen Jimeno said during a press conference that there was nothing wrong with Corona securing the P11- million loan in 2003.

The prosecution panel also put on the stand Nerissa Josef, project manager of Community Innovations Inc., who testified on the transaction of Corona’s wife Cristina concerning a real property bought from the company.

Josef presented the deed of absolute sale, reservation agreements, contract to sell and other documents pertaining to the purchase of a unit in The Columns in Ayala, Makati City (Metro Manila) in the name of the Corona couple.