IT is sad to think that not all apples fall anywhere near the tree. This disturbing thought instantly crossed my mind after hearing out Regina Pryor’s sentiments as gathered by PEP’s Cabinet Files by long-time colleague-friend Jojo Gabinete.
As an introduction, Regina of Sta. Cruz, Laguna happens to be the estranged wife of former actor-now church pastor Dolphy Jr., the eldest scion of the Comedy King.
If the junior’s name does ring a bell, he was among those charged in the arson resulting in multiple homicide case involving the mother of Viva Films matriarch Mina Aragon several years back. The fire that occurred in the del Rosario’s residence several years back likewise claimed the innocent lives of (Tita) Mina’s children.
Rodolfo Quizon Jr., now a pastor, during his life testimony at Lighthouse Sanctuary Church. SCREENGRAB FROM FACEBOOK/LSC.OFFICIAL.PAGE
I remember having forged close ties with Tita Mina. This was when she admitted to having patronized Mariposa-published fan magazines during the ’90s.
Bragging aside, she’d tell me upfront she loved reading my columns — which oftentimes carried items mostly unfavorable to their film company.
Surely, the affable lady producer (who also dabbled in discovering artists she’d prime for stardom like Vina Morales, named after her daughter who perished in the fire) believed in the truism: “If you can’t lick ’em, join ’em.”
Back then, I would have perfectly understood if Tita Mina would have my name blacklisted, stricken off the list of press attendees at Viva’s every event. But no.
There was, in fact, a sense of guilt that consumed me as Tita Mina had chosen friendship over enmity, peace over war, love over hate.
Sans any secretary to help her fix her social calendar, it was she who had scheduled our first ever face-to-face, getting-to-know-each-other meet-up at the Sugi Japanese resto in Greenhills, San Juan. Tita Mina’s instruction was to tag along my fellow Mariposa columnists.
That was the beginning of more intimate encounters to the point that Tita Mina was like a second mother to all of us — myself “extracted” from her womb.
It was around that time where she shared the “fatal fire story,” that “topbilled” Dolphy Jr. who was then working with the Viva office. There were other names involved in it, no need to rattle them off.
Came the part where Tita Mina opened up her conversation with the Comedy King whose junior was already serving his jail term.
Quoting the father, Tita Mina was told: “Do you not pity me whose son I cannot even hug behind bars?”
Still reeling from a severe family tragedy, the lady producer calmly yet frankly responded: “Should you not pity me more that as much as I want to hug my loved ones, how, through their graves?”
That powerful line, Tita Mina said, struck the Comedy King whose silence meant he was in agreement.
Listening to and processing Tita Mina’s story unquestionably spoke about the kind of father the senior Dolphy was. Without a tinge of doubt, Tito Dolphy was “the perfect father” he could be regardless of his erring son’s transgressions against humanity.
How I wish though his undying paternal love had rubbed off on Dolphy Jr.
Going back to Regina, he and their 42-year-old son Rocky had met up on May 4, four years since they saw each other. But what was supposedly a happy, heart-tugging reunion at a hospital in Batangas City turned out otherwise.
Rocky, according to his mom, has been diagnosed with kidney problem, gout and fatty liver for which he had to undergo immediate CT scan procedure.
To date, Rocky — based in the Laguna capital — had been confined at the hospital for at least four times. Nary a shadow of Dolphy Jr. ever showed up to pay his son a single visit, let alone did even a paltry financial help come.
Thankfully, it was Dolphy Jr.’s half-brother Eric Quizon who had been helping them out with the medical bills.
Regina ruefully agreed to her estranged husband’s insistent idea of sending Rocky all the way to Batangas City and the concomitant hassle of going there. “Dolphy Jr.. insisted that Rocky avail of the free CT scan at a Batangas City hospital, when it couldn’t be performed until July.”
Regina maintained that Dolphy Jr. could have easily opted to send the money instead, which was anywhere between P14,000 and P16,000. She lamented their Batangas trip (they were already awake by 4:30 a.m. for the medical appointment) was totally fruitless.
“Imagine I even had to seek clearance from the Sta. Cruz mayor (Edgar San Luis) to arrange the use of ambulance that brought us to Batangas, only to arrive at the hospital without Dolphy Jr. around. I texted him. He said he took public commute. Did he realize how hard it was for Rocky?” Regina whined.
Somehow aware of Dolphy Jr.’s means drawn from his late father’s liquid assets bequeathed to all of latter’s children, how come he shirks on his paternal responsibility? Shouldn’t Eric be the one to dutifully take over fraction of his elder brother’s share to be channeled toward his nephew?
Dolphy Jr. should stop treating Rocky as though he were not of the same blood.
I can imagine the Comedy King to be turning in his grave over his grandson’s hapless plight.
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