Bea Alonzo's ex-manager speaks out on her resignation, actress' canceled Spain wedding
Shirley Kuan has broken her silence after she resigned as Bea Alonzo's manager.
During a press conference with select members of the media on Aug. 24, Kuan addressed rumors that she was the reason behind the actress' and Puregold president Vincent Co's canceled wedding in Spain in May.
The manager, who left on Aug. 11, said she kept everything hush to accommodate Alonzo's wishes, but she decided it was time to defend herself.
"She did not allow me to defend myself. I didn't take it against her because at the time that's how she felt, and I respected that. Kaso, pati nung natuloy na, ako pa rin ang villain," Kuan said.
On the Spain wedding rumors
Kuan added that she had receipts proving she wasn't behind the Spain wedding's cancellation.
While she was in Los Angeles on May 8, she received a text from Alonzo's business partner, Bea Secosana. The bag brand owner asked Kuan to message the actress' guests and her wedding coordinator on her behalf to notify them about the nuptials being called off. Alonzo was on a flight, but Kuan said that she thought the One More Chance star wrote the message.
After sending out the message, Kuan said she felt like she was being held accountable for the cancellation.
"Why am I being held as the person who's accountable? I don't know. Did I do something wrong? Mapapel ba ako na ako nagpadala nito? Did I want this? No. 'Yung mga alaga ko naman, lahat 'pag nanghingi ng tulong no matter what—minsan wala pa sa job description ko, I help," the manager said.
Alonzo and Co eventually exchanged vows in a civil ceremony in Makati on July 13. Kuan said she only learned about it after receiving blind items. According to her, Alonzo confirmed it in a call.
Alonzo and Co's prenup
Apart from rumors of a Spain wedding, gossip columns surmised that prenup disagreements affected Alonzo and Co's planned overseas nuptials.
For her part, Kuan also said that she did not have any knowledge about the couple's prenup.
"Ni anino, ni one sentence of that prenup, hindi ko nakita. I know there's going to be a prenup, pero hindi ako nagmahaderang, ah, saan na 'yung prenup? Hindi talaga," she said.
"I didn't ask about it. Nalaman ko na lang nagpirmahan na. Nagpirmahan when I was in LA, so wala talaga akong alam. I was not here."
Alonzo's legal counsel has previously shut down speculation about disputes surrounding the couple's prenup.
The 'last straw'
Reports about Kuan's resignation surfaced on Aug. 23, with some saying she was hurt that Alonzo didn't publicly defend her as she was blamed for the couple's problems.
Kuan later shrugged this off. "Parang mali 'yung mga sinusulat on the part na nagtampo ako kasi 'di ako pinagtanggol. Nagmukha naman akong weakling. Bakit ko hinihintay na ipagtanggol ako ni Bea? Kaya ko naman ipagtanggol sarili ko," she said.
The manager revealed that she left her position after she was uninvited to an Aug. 10 event that was, she said, her deal.
"I was talking to the client and preparing this event, and I was told by the client that I'm disinvited. And I already know what happened," Kuan said.
"Hindi ako galit, but I'll be a hypocrite if I tell you I'm not offended. Because this has never been done to me. Wala naman akong kasalanan... Sabi ko, 'Don't worry, I'm not going if that's your request. But that's very offensive, and that's not something I can accept. And I told Bea, that's the last straw," she continued, adding that Alonzo denied being the one behind the incident.
Currently, Chris Cahilig serves as Alonzo's interim agent, as confirmed by ABS-CBN.
Cahilig, who was a public relations specialist for Co's Puregold, said that the couple is focused on their roles as husband and wife.
PhilSTAR L!fe has reached out to Alonzo's camp but has yet to receive a response.