Shirley Kuan, former manager of Bea Alonzo. Anna Cerezo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Shirley Kuan, former manager of Bea Alonzo, on Monday broke her silence to address allegations that she played a role in the cancellation of Alonzo’s wedding in Spain and meddled in the actress’ prenuptial agreement.
Kuan said she stayed out of the preparations leading to Alonzo’s marriage to Vincent Co and that her involvement was limited to helping relay the cancellation of the Spain nuptials to guests as a “favor.”
READ: Bea Alonzo, Puregold's Vincent Co now married
“I received a text from her business partner, Bea Secosana, resibo ko ’to, Friday, May 8: ‘Hi Tita. Bea asked for a favor if you can message the guests and Amanda and wedding coordinator na din daw po. This is what she wants to say. She composed the whole message to send to her guests.’ Bea told Bea Secosana to send it to me,” she recalled in an interview held in Quezon City on Monday.
Kuan theorized the message may have fueled the speculation that she was behind the cancellation.
“I decided to add ‘Hi, this is SK’ so they know it’s not a prank because SK is credible,” she noted.
“My dilemma was, should I put my name or send it as is—people might think it is a prank and it will be all over social media again. This is not supposed to be taken as a joke. This is a serious matter. And kaming manager, pag hiningan ng tulong ng artist, even if it’s not our job, we are there to help. Especially in this kind of situation,” she added.
NOT INVOLVED WITH THE PRENUP
Kuan also emphasized that she had nothing to do with the prenuptial agreement and was not privy to its contents or the details surrounding the signing.
“Ni-anino, one sentence, hindi ko nakita. I know there is one pero hindi ako nagmahadera na, ‘Nasan na ang prenup?’ Hindi ako nakialam. I did not ask about it. Nalaman ko na lang nag-pirmahan na—and nag-pirmahan sila when I was in LA. Wala ako alam. I was not here,” she said.
“Hindi ako kasali diyan. Ang sinabi ko lang, kung meron ka input, Atty., it should be within the bounds of law. Yun lang. Masama ba ’yun? Pakikialam ba ’yun? May narinig ako, sinasali ko sarili ko sa prenup. May commission daw ako. What—is that ever done? How insulting is that.”
Kuan also hit back at comments she sees online accusing her of using the actress as a “cash cow.”
“I just wanna make this clear, ha? Bea did not make me rich nor will she make me poor. So, stop calling her my cash cow. I have bigger stars that I’m handling who are busier than her,” she said.
Alonzo married Puregold Price Club Inc. president Vincent Co on July 13. Prior to the wedding, Alonzo and Co kept their relationship largely private.
Alonzo has since revealed some details about the civil ceremony, including a glimpse of the wedding cake and sharing that she did her own makeup on her wedding day.
LAST STRAW
Kuan said she decided to cut professional ties with Alonzo after a client allegedly disinvited her from an event she had closed the deal. Kuan, however, clarified Alonzo said she was not aware of the incident.
“The third trigger point was the last straw… There was an event that was my deal. I was talking to the client and preparing for the event, but I was told I was disinvited. Even if the client did not tell me, I know what happened. Hindi ako galit, but I am a hypocrite if I say I am not offended. I told Bea that was the last straw,” she explained.
“She said that she did not know. And I told her, now I am telling you, as of this very moment and this very day, I am no longer your manager. That was Aug. 11,” she said.