Man behind viral Lea Salonga dressing room video says he won't apologize: 'Wala po akong ginawang masama'
The man who approached Lea Salonga in the dressing room for photos—and claimed the music icon was rude—said he won't apologize for what he did as he's not trying to cast her in a bad light.
"Wala po akong intention tulad nung sinasabi ng mga tao na sinisiraan ko siya or whatever," Cristopher Carpila told broadcast journalist Julius Babao in an interview uploaded on his YouTube channel on July 18. "It's just that alam mo, 'yung naramdaman ko. First time ito."
"Siguro parang way ko 'yun para mailabas 'yung... ano kasi, iba talaga ang naramdaman ko noong gabi na 'yun," he added, noting he isn't feeling entitled as a fan.
"Para akong ipis na tinapakan o kuto na tiniris. Lahat kami natulala," he said.
Commenting on the would-be call-out video that backfired on him, Carpila stressed that he did nothing wrong.
"Wala po akong ginawang masama, kaya po confident ako," he said. "'Di ako naaapektuhan sa bashing kasi alam kong wala akong ginawang masama."
Carpila explained that a staff told them where Salonga would be coming from, and they just tried their chances.
"Kami naman, nakapila kami. Pinapasok kami. We were expecting na magkakaroon kami ng moment with Madam Lea," he said, noting they weren't informed that they should be part of the guest list which allows backstage access.
"Tayo namang mga Filipino, 'pag nagkikita-kita tayo sa ibang lugar, sa ibang bansa, parang ine-embrace natin ang mga Filipino," he said.
"'Di rin po natin masisisi si Ms. Lea," Carpila said of Salonga's actions. "Pero kami rin po sana, 'di nila masisi dahil pinapasok lang talaga."
Commenting on Salonga refuting the claims of Carpila's friend that they personally knew G Tongi, a co-producer of the show, Carpila explained that his friend only got carried away and she originally meant them knowing G Tongi's colleague.
"Co-producer 'yung friend niya, na kilala ni Ms. G Tongi. Dahil sa sobrang tulala na niya, na-rattle na siya, nabanggit niya na lang G Tongi," he said.
Carpila in his viral post shared a video of the moment, during which Salonga said she doesn't know him and his companion. She told them that they aren't allowed there unless they were on the guest list, while also warning them that others could take advantage of it if she'll give them a pass.
As Salonga was walking outside, Carpila followed her, apologized, and gushed over her talent and looks as he recorded a video of her. Salonga thanked him for the compliments, though said sorry as she had "to be strict about this."
"GUSTO KO LANG PO IPOST. Bahala na po kayo humusga," Carpila wrote in the caption of his post.
On the heels of the incident, Salonga on Twitter reminded her fans that she has boundaries.
She quote tweeted an old tweet, in which she recalled her mother reminding her to never accept food from strangers. She also cited BTS member Jung Kook asking fans to stop sending him food, in light of Korean idol Yunho getting poisoned after drinking a would-be fan's orange juice gift, which turned out to have superglue.
"Do not cross them. Thank you," Salonga said.
Salonga stars in Here Lies Love, a musical about Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos's rise to power and their downfall following the EDSA People Power Revolution. She portrays Aurora Aquino, the mother of assassinated opposition senator Ninoy Aquino.
