'Wowowee' saga: Willie says 'I'm so sorry' to Joey

Coming from a day's leave from hosting chores at ABS-CBN Network's "Wowowee," comedian Willie Revillame on Tuesday apologized to rival host Joey de Leon for hurling scathing remarks to belie charges of game show rigging. "Joey de Leon, Joey de Leon, kaibigan, pare, from my heart I'm so sorry kung nasaktan kita pero tandaan mo idol pa rin kita," Revillame said on Wowowee. Revillame, who earlier said De Leon should be ashamed of himself for making irresponsible statements, claimed that he and Joey were once friends. "Oo, malaki [ang pinagsamahan]. Alam mo minsan ang tao, tao ka e, nasasaktan ka. Naging emosyonal ako pero gusto kong malaman n’yo humihingi ako ng paumanhin kay Mr Joey de Leon, kung nasaktan ko siya. Ganun lang naman e humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa kanya. Eto galing 'to sa puso ko. Hindi ito para lang matapos ito," he said. Last Monday, De Leon said he wanted Revillame to apologize with the same intensity the latter had when the "Wowowee" host launched his tirade. "Ulitin niya yung mga ginawa niya. Magso-sorry siya pero with feelings din, me iyak din 'sorry Joey de Leon, Joey de Leon sorry.' ... Joey de Leon nabigla lang ako, sorry sorry bati na tayo.' OK na ko doon," he told reporters. De Leon, host of variety show "Eat Bulaga" on GMA Network, issued the statement after a meeting with Marissa Laguardia, chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). He had earlier challenged the "Wowowee" host to "explain before you complain." This time, Revillame devoted part of his nationally televised message Tuesday to reveal the changes that the program's staff will be implementing in the games. "Isa na lamang po ang wheel mula po ng day three, isa na lamang po ang laman ng lahat ng mga wheels, hindi na po dalawa so nakikita n'yo na po," he said. Revillame explained while demonstrating the game mechanics: "Kasi alam nyo po sa game show e medyo napakadelikado nito. Tignan nyo po 'yung design, halos pareho po, yung cut niya parehong-pareho para po meron kaming tyansa na magtawaran. Nakita nyo po yan zero, para pong may two. Ginawa po namin yan, dinesign po yan na para pong zero ... para walang doubt meron ba o walang laman yan." "Eto po ngayon ang two million parang pareho po. Ibig sabihin po mas madali ang pera at bayong kasi po tong pera at bayong inililipat lang po ito sa kulay ng bayong. Ilalagay lang po sa orange ngayong araw na ito, kung ayaw mo ilagay ito ngayon ililipat mo bukas," he said. He added that, "Ganun lang po kadali yung pera o bayong, yung pagtawad namin e para po sa inyo 'yan. Desisyon nyo kung Pera o Bayong, Wilyonaryo o uwi na me. Sa tingin nyo ba meron pa kayong mga dapat malaman? Sige po magtanong kayo kasi po umabot na po itong problema namin sa Senado, kailangan na po kami mag-explain." The Senate committee on trade under Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas II has expressed willingness to look into the Wowowee game show controversy. A congressman has also backed a similar move in the House of Representatives. Revillame added that, "In-explain ko na po ito ngayong araw na ito dahil ako po ang nakaharap sa inyo mga kababayan, pangalan ko, pagkatao ko. Hindi po pupuwedeng mandaya po ako at mandaya ang programang ito. Hinding-hindi po. Saka kahit sa panaginip hindi po. Lagi pong hangad namin na mapasaya kayo." Revillame also thanked the viewers for continued support for him and his show. "Ngayon, for two and a half years po ng Wowowee, marami kaming pinagdaanan na nandyan kayo. nagpapasalamat kami hindi nyo kami iniwan, hindi nyo po kami iniwan, maraming salamat," he said. The TV host said that in two and a half years, the show released P150,312,688 worth of prizes including 12 units of house and lot, 16 passenger jeepneys, four taxis, 55 food carts with P10,000 cash, 12 multi-cab vehicles with P10,000 worth of pangkabuhayan package, 72 tricycles and eight scooters. From January to August this year alone, "Wowowee" gave away P49 million in cash prizes. Revillame assured his fans that he will return to his show starting Wednesday. He reportedly took a leave from his show due to the controversy stemming from the glitch. "Ito na po ang commitment ko sa inyo hanggang kaya ko, tuloy tuloy po ang Wowowee para sa inyo … Bukas po papasok na ko para sa inyo," he said when asked by the audience why he was absent Monday. He hoped that his explanation will erase the doubts on the show as he expressed readiness to face any probe on the supposed glitch. "Sana po maliwanagan na ang lahat, sa mga tao hindi po kami natatakot na humarap sa inyo dahil wala po kaming intensyon o sa isip namin na manloko at dayaain kayo. Kung saan kami ipatatawag, kung saan kami aabot, kami po ay haharap kahit kanino dahil talaga pong malinis ang aming konsensiya," he said. Eat Bulaga airs over GMA Network. GMANews.TV is the official website of GMA News and Public Affairs, a unit of GMA Network Inc. - GMANews.TV