Yuri’s pal: Mark Lapid said Kris was ‘old woman stuck with him’

Mark Tadeo Lapid is a prominent figure in both the political arena and local showbizlandia. The 27-year-old son of Senator Lito Lapid is evidently following the footsteps of his dad. But unlike his dad, who finished about 17 films before he reached the age of 27, the younger Lapid has so far starred in 8 movies to date. Mark, however, was the youngest governor elected in the country. He was 24 when he assumed the post. To date, he is busier as a politician. With the May 14 elections already looming over the horizon, his current mindset is to win against his political rivals in Pampanga. And while his attention is focused on politics, Tinseltown's prying eyes are focused on him due to "baby" and "dad" rumors. PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) broke the news today, May 9, 2007, that the action star-politician is already a "married man" and "a father." "Maria Lapid", whose email was received by PEP on May 7, claimed that she's a close friend of Mark's "wife," and that she has her "permission" to let the people know "what Mark T Lapid is doing to his wife and his 1st baby.'' The wife's name, according to source, is Yuri Park, and they have a baby who's one year and eight months old. "Baby" news. On March 2, 2007, Mark's girlfriend Tanya Garcia admitted that she's two months pregnant. She said in a PEP article, "I'm happy na magiging mommy na ako. Mahilig at matiyaga naman ako sa bata. Excited na nga ako na kinakabahan kaya I'm really praying na maging maayos lahat." Three days before Tanya's admission, Dolly Anne Carvajal's column in a major broadsheet reported about the actor-politician's confirmation. "Ayokong maging subject pa kami ng blind items and speculations so I admitted it right away," said Mark. "Our baby will be the third apo [the first two courtesy of Mark's two sisters], but the first to carry our surname," added Mark. So when Maria emailed the divorce papers stating that Mark has a baby named "MARIA CASANDRA PARK LAPID" born on "September 22, 2005," PEP got very curious. Maria narrated in her email, "In the fall of 2005, all the members of the Lapid family, including Senator Lito Lapid, and Miss Park's family went to the USA to celebrate the birth of Mark T. Lapid and Miss Park's baby. "They were so happy, more so Mark T. Lapid as this was his first and only baby. As Miss Park's condition was critical, he stayed with her in the hospital and was even with her in the operating room. He cut his first baby's naval string and gave the baby girl the name 'Maria Cassandra Park Lapid.'" "Married" news. The second son of the senator met and fell in love with Yuri in 2004, this is again, according to Maria. It will be recalled that in March 2004, Mark admitted that he's wooing Kris Aquino, a famous TV actress. Their relationship reportedly ended in June 2004. The email of Maria mentioned the brief relationship of Mark with Kris: "When Mark T. Lapid met Miss Park for the first time in the Philippines, he confessed that he had a relationship with an ‘old woman' who helped him in his first bid for the gubernatorial seat. He won the election [May 2004] but he told her that he had a hard time because the ‘old woman' stuck with him." On March 31, 2006, as stated in the marriage certificate emailed to PEP, Mark and Yuri were married at the Vegas Wedding Chapel, 320 South 3rd Street, Las Vegas, by Reverend Jon T. Diegel. A few days later, Mark's name was linked to Cristine Reyes. The "Los Angeles Newsweek," a newspaper in the US catering to Asian Americans, reported that the governor would drive from Pampanga to Manila twice a week to visit the younger sister of Ara. "When Miss Park asked him about Cristine Reyes, he said it was only a promotional act for their movie," Maria said. Mark and Cristine starred in Apoy sa Dibdib ng Samar which was released in April 2006. Maria continued that it was on February 9, 2007—the time that the Mark-Tanya relationship erupted on the news—that Mark "asked her [Yuri] for a divorce." Mark broke the divorce news to Yuri in "Hong Kong." The divorce papers were filed at the District Court of Clark County, Nevada, on February 12, 2007. Yuri and Casey. In Yuri's signed email to PEP, she said "I got shock and I live with much pain now. He suddenly asked me to divorce without any explanations. "And even he lied to US court to file divorce by himself. I hope you understand me that I have to decide to make people know about him. He is dishonest and immoral man." Yuri said she lost touch with Mark after their meeting in Hong Kong. The father of his son, according to her, would not answer her phone calls. She also made it clear that her decision to contact media has nothing to do with politics. "This early, her daddy has discontinued child support," Mark's wife confessed. As for Mark Lapid, he said he'll be available to answer these issues after the May 14 elections. - Philippine Entertainment Portal