Vicki Belo, Katrina Halili turn up on Showbiz Central

MANILA, Philippines – Celebrity cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo and controversial sexy actress Katrina Halili nearly crossed paths for the first time Sunday on television after they got embroiled in a sex video scandal involving doctor Hayden Kho Jr. In her first sit-down live interview, Belo broke her silence and said she needed to speak up because she felt that the tables have been turned against her. “I changed. I became very introverted. I wasn’t talking to any of my close friends. Ngayon, parang nagkabaligtad. Ang alam ko, biktima ako dito, pero ang nangyari, ako ang dinedemanda. I think it’s time na ipagtanggol ko ang sarili ko," she said on GMA’s Showbiz Central on Sunday. She said that her break-up with Kho last December still hurts her, but now she cannot take things sitting down while she’s being “attacked on all fronts." On June 18, Halili filed a complaint before the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) seeking to revoke the medical licenses of Belo and Kho for alleged “malpractice of cosmetic surgery." Later that day, the actress went to the Department of Health in a bid to bar the Belo Medical Group, Inc. from operating. In Sunday’s interview, the celebrity doctor said she’s puzzled why Katrina had been making personal attacks against her, adding that she had nothing to do with the spread of the controversial Kho-Halili sex videos on the Internet. She reiterated that when she confronted Halili last December about the actress’ affair with Kho, Halili initially denied the matter but later admitted that she and Kho “were just having fun." “I asked her to come out with me. I told her, ‘I need to know that you had an affair. But she said, ‘Never.’ So I said, ‘It’s very important that you tell me the truth. I want you to know that I have seen some videos which prove to me that you had an affair. I just need to hear it from you," Belo recounted her conversation with Katrina last December. “She (Halili) said, ‘Oo, pero naglalaro lang naman kami…I’m really sorry, tao lang, please forgive me." “I tried to remember the good things she did for me. She has been a good endorser. I have to forgive Katrina. We ended very well, very quiet. I greeted her Merry Christmas and I gave her a Chanel bag, and I thought we were okay," Belo said. Katrina breaks down Halili, however, lashed back and belied Belo’s claims that she denied having an affair with Kho. In a separate interview during same Showbiz Central episode, an emotional Halili said she thought that after the conversation with Belo last December, the issue was already over. “Sabi niya (Belo) wala nang lalabas. Sila rin naman yung hindi tumitigil. Nananahimik po ako. Sila yung nagbibigay ng clue, binigay nila yung pangalan ko. Sila naman yung nag-umpisa. Ngayon lang naman ako nagsalita," Halili said. “Ayoko nang pag-usapan ito, tapos na po ‘yon. Nag-usap kami noong December. Maayos po yun. Di ko po sinabing naglalaro ako. Di ko dineny. Ayoko na po ipagtanggol yung sarili ko," Halili said while breaking into tears. Despite being involved in a scandal that almost cost her career, Halili said she is thankful to GMA Network for believing in her capabilities and entrusting to her a major role in the remake of Mexican telenovela “Rosalinda." Halili will reprise her contravida role and portray Fedra, who will make life hard for Rosalinda, played by Carla Abellana. “Alam ko pong napakalaking project nito. Di ko po alam kung pano ako tatanggapin ng tao, pero nangangako ako na aayusin ko ang trabaho ko para mapasaya ko po kayo," she told the public. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV