Singer-actor Darren Espanto came to the defense of his best friend AC Bonifacio, who faced online criticism when she became a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab.
Speaking at a 7-Eleven event where he was named the new ambassador of City Cafe, the It’s Showtime host addressed the backlash AC has been receiving on social media, saying people are quick to misinterpret what happens inside the PBB house.
“Of course, we’re all rooting for her. I feel like a lot of people just misinterpret a lot of the things—not just AC, but a lot of the things that the housemates say and do inside the house,” said Darren.
Darren, who has been best friends with AC for eight years, said he understands her intentions better than anyone.
“I know her inside and out, so I know what the backstory is to what she’s doing inside the house,” he explained.
He also responded to netizens who questioned his silence
“Netizens were tagging me and Niana [Guerrero] in many tweets about AC, saying, ‘Don’t you know your best friend?’ We’re not saying we tolerate everything just because we’re best friends, but there are always limitations. And at the end of the day, we’re just there to support her,” Darren stated.
“I feel like all of us are affected, even if it’s not our family members being bashed—just our friends, it still hits us. Niana and I have been texting. We’re also checking in on AC’s mom, Tita Cherry. We’ve been doing group calls just to talk about everything that’s happening inside the house,” he continued.
Darren also defended his friend, saying people shouldn’t judge what they see onscreen.
“I hope people get to understand AC more and give her a chance because I really feel like my best friend has a strong fight ahead of her. Before she even entered, all of us already knew what she was getting into,” said Darren.
On Saturday, March 28, AC was evicted from the PBB house, alongside Ashley Ortega. Ahead of her eviction, Darren said that they were proud of her no matter what.“We’re all rooting for her. I just hope she’s given the chance to showcase her talents inside the house, her personality, and how good of a person she is,” he added.
Meanwhile, when asked if he would consider joining “PBB” himself, Darren said he’s open to being a guest housemate—but only for a short stay.
“I prefer to be doing something. If I’m just inside Kuya’s house watching the housemates, it feels like I can’t handle doing nothing,” he told Manila Standard Entertainment.
Darren has previously entered the PBB house three times as a guest, each time only for a day.