‘This should be a happy time for us’: Apple David, 33, responds to critics of romance with Chad Gammad, 18

Apple David, a courtside reporter for the Philippine Basketball Association, is sorry if people are offended by her relationship with her 18-year-old boyfriend, but they are standing their ground and asking not for forgiveness but for respect.

Per Frontline Pilipinas, David, 33, and Chad Gammad, a player for the Letran Knights in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, have been dating for a month. In a video statement, David clarified she and Gammad are both adults and are prepared to be accountable for their decisions. 

"I know it's a very risky relationship because of the age gap but it's a risk we are both taking and I hope people can be kind enough to allow us to do that in peace," David said.

"Sa mga tao po na nakakaintindi, sa mga tao po na sususuporta and nagpahatid ng mga mensahe nila, maraming maraming salamat po sa inyo," she added. 

Addressing bashers who have been criticizing the couple's age gap, David said, "Sa mga na-offend, we're sorry, but we just ask for respect as this should be a happy time for us."

On May 22, the sports reporter appeared to soft-launch Gammad on her social media through a black and white photo of the two of them, but with the man's face cropped out. She captioned it with a black heart emoji and the hashtag OhApple. 

While several of her Facebook followers said they would be unfollowing the reporter, supposedly because of the post's content, others maintained that the relationship was David and Gammad's choice, and only theirs. 

Responding to a commenter on X, who wrote, "You have a choice not to date an 18-year-old," David said, "But I also have a choice, too."

She added, "Masama bang bigyan ng chance 'yung nag-click, eh. Ano'ng gagawin ko? Nag-click, eh. What am I supposed to do?"