Jillian Ward breaks 4-year silence on sugar daddy allegations

Jillian Ward has finally broken her silence on long-standing rumors about her lifestyle, denying claims that she has a “benefactor” or that she is a “sugar baby.”

On Tuesday’s “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” the 20-year-old Sparkle star addressed the controversy surrounding her luxury cars and lavish debut celebration, saying that everything she owns was earned through her own hard work.

Per Jillian, the rumors started four years ago when she was just 16 years old.

“At the time, ayoko pong magsalita kasi lagi sinasabi sakin, ‘If it's not real, hindi mo kailangan magsalita.’ Tapos every year, nagre-resurface po siya. Then last week, lumabas na naman po siya,” Jillian said.

The Star of the New Gen initially laughed it off.

“Then noong nagbasa po ako ng comments, sobrang na-hurt na po talaga ako kasi sobra po ‘yung pangbabastos ng mga tao because of fake news. So, it took me four years to speak up about it. ‘Yung pinaka-turning point din po sa 'kin is ‘yung family ko. Binabastos na rin po, especially my mom. So, sabi ko enough na po,” she said.

The actress shared that the false stories began when people questioned how she could afford a Porsche Boxster at 16 years old.

Jillian clarified that she bought the second-hand car herself for P1.2 million using her earnings from an endorsement deal.

“May deed of sale din po ako, may resibo ako. My dad has it. Tapos ang kinakalat po nila ay sobrang mahal daw niya. Tapos may nagbigay daw sa akin. Eh binili ko po ‘yun with my own money, Tito Boy. Lahat ng meron ako, binili ko with my own money. With my own hard work money.”

She added that she found it “below the belt” when people spread rumors that the car was a gift from a benefactor.

“‘Yung car po na ‘yun, hindi siya kasing mahal ng sinasabi nila. Lahat po ‘yan may resibo po ako. Lahat ng investments ko. I'm very open about it. Alam po ng GMA lahat ng mga naging investments ko din kasi they're giving me advices, they're guiding me kung paano ko po maaalagaan ‘yung iniipon ko, especially my parents.”

Jillian also clarified the expenses behind her grand 18th birthday celebration, which became a hot topic online.

According to her, the event was partly sponsored by the Kapuso network and supported by her brand partners.

“Lahat po ‘yun, hindi po ko sobrang gumastos, honestly. And nagshare din po talaga ‘yung GMA. And may resibo din po ako na lahat po ng costings for my debut, na aside po sa binigay ng GMA, I paid for it with my own money,” she said.

She denied claims that a “sponsor” financed the celebration or appeared in alleged CCTV footage.

“‘Yun nga po gusto kong sabihin sa kanilang lahat. Kasi sinasabi nila, pati po sa mga comments, kinakalat nila na meron daw CCTV footage. Pumupunta daw ako sa hotels to be with old men na binibigyan po ako ng cars or sino-sponsoran ‘yung debut ko. It's not real,” she said.

She dared those spreading the rumors to release the said CCTV footage if it is real, as long as it is not made through AI.

“Nakaka-frustrate na for four years, I kept silent and I couldn't defend myself,” she said.

Jillian also denied that she has a secret baby.

“Lahat po ng mga sinasabi nila hindi po totoo. Lahat po na meron ako, I got it with my own money. I don't have a secret baby. And very open po ako. Open ako sa mga fans ko. Open ako sa GMA. Kilala po ako ng GMA. Alam nila paano ako tumanda sa industry na 'to. And my parents, I'm very open with my parents, lahat ng friends ko. Wala pong katotohanan sa lahat ng sinasabi po nila. And I'm very confident about that,” she said.

When asked how she felt about accusations that her own mother was pimping her out, Jillian became emotional.

“Sobrang sakit talaga, Tito Boy. Kasi my parents didn't raise me that way. And lahat ng meron ako, pinagpaguran ko. And my mom would never do that to me. And sobrang nasasaktan ako kasi hindi po talaga gano'n ‘yung mom ko. Ta’s nadadamay po siya sa lahat ng ‘to. Nananahimik ‘yung mother ko,” she said.

Jillian said that her mom had no involvement in her finances or investments.

“So, I'm so offended for my mother, especially kasi she did not raise me that way,” she said.

She said she chose not to have her mother appear on the show, explaining that it was her duty to defend her.

“Ako po ‘yung nasa industry. Ako ‘yung artista. My mom's just supporting me. Tapos gagawan nila ng gano'ng klaseng issue ‘yung mother ko na hindi po totoo. So, I thought na it's my responsibility to fight for my mom.”

She also shared that her father and siblings have been deeply affected by the issue but remain supportive.

“So, I guess ‘yun na lang din po ‘yung thankful po na nangyari sa mga issues na ‘to, na nakita ko po gaano ka-supportive ‘yung family ko,” she said.

Jillian admitted that she tried to ignore the rumors for years, hoping they would fade away.

“Pero I decided, especially nung nag-resurface na naman po siya last week, na it's enough. Kasi grabe po talaga ‘yung disrespect because of fake news na wala talagang basis na sinasabi nila may CCTV footage, may pictures. Eh wala po talaga,” she said.

Jillian has been in the entertainment industry for 15 years.

She recently starred in “My Ilonggo Girl” and has an upcoming series, “Never Say Die.”

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA Integrated News