Woman denies alleged relationship with Abalos

The woman romantically linked to Commission on Elections chair Benjamin Abalos denied on Thursday any liaison with the embattled poll chief, much more having a daughter arising from the supposed affair. Evelyn Silagon maintained she never had an intimate relationship with Abalos and that she had personally known him for a "very, very short time." Silagon instantly became the talk of town overnight after Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel dropped her name during the third Senate probe into the controversial national broadband deal on Wednesday. In referring to a message that recently spread via text, Pimentel quizzed Abalos about the latter's supposed relationship with Silagon. According to the same text message, Abalos "gifted" Silagon with several properties and vehicles. Abalos promptly denied the insinuations. "That's not true. It was unkind for me and my daughter as well as for Abalos and his family," Silagon said in an interview with GMA's "24 Oras." "Let's be cautious. Ano power ko sa iyo (Pimentel)? Senator ka, ano ba naman ako?" Silagon lamented. "I don't mean to be a holy or pious person but my children are affected." Silagon dared those who spread the rumors to check with the National Statistics Office (NSO) for documents that would prove that Abalos fathered her a child. "A birth certificate is a public document. The burden of proof lies on them," she said. Contrary to previous reports that she is a reporter, Silagon said she is a public relations practitioner who happened to have organized a press conference at the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), where she met Abalos. A single mother, Silagon lives with her youngest daughter. Two of her children now live in the United States while a third one is in Mindanao. Asked whether she is preparing to take legal actions against Pimentel, Silagon simply replied, "Hindi na (Not anymore)." On who she thought could have perpetuated the rumors, Silagon said: "Iyan ang tutuklasin ko though I have some idea. I just can't pinpoint the people." - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV