By REYMA BUAN-DEVEZA
abs-cbnNEWS.com

One
tabloid put it this way: "Mariel nabuntis ni Zanjoe; nagpalaglag"
(translation: "Mariel knocked up by Zanjoe; has abortion").

"Oh
my God! Hello? Bakit ko naman gagawin iyon if ever I am pregnant. I
love kids,”  was Mariel's response to the rumors. Her statement was
aired on newsmagazine morning show "Umagang Kay Ganda" and radio dzMM
on Thursday.

She added that she will be airing her side on the
issue over two showbiz talk shows, "Entertainment Live"  this Saturday,
June 7, and "The Buzz,” on Sunday, June 8.

According to the
rumor, Mariel went to Hawaii to get an abortion around the second week
of May--when she went to the United States with the rest of the cast
and crew of "Wowowee" for their US tour.

Not surprisingly, her
boyfriend and supposed impregnator, hunky actor-model Zanjoe Marudo,
was incredulous about the entire thing.

"Hindi ko pa naririnig
ang isyu na 'yon, pero kung bago lang ang isyu na 'yan ewan ko kung
anong araw siya nagpa-abort kasi araw-araw siyang nagho-host sa
'Wowowee' sa 'PBB' noong nawala naman siya, nasa Amerika. So parang
hindi ko alam kung saang oras niya siningit 'yung nagpa-abort siya,"
the actor said, wryly.

(I've only heard about the issue
recently. I just wonder how she was able to sneak the abortion into her
busy schedule. She hosts Wowowee every day, even when she went to
America she was still hosting.)

Zanjoe added that he has already
accepted those types of rumors as part of the price of celebrity. Most
of the time, he ignores them.

"Since noong nag-start ako
parang wala akong pakialam diyan.  Ayaw ko ngang nagpapa-interview kasi
ang daming nagtatanong sa personal na buhay. Ni hindi nga ako nagbabasa
ng tabloid.

Zanjoe said that he and Mariel hardly have enough
time together for themselves because of their busy schedules. But they
still manage, somehow, to see one another.

 "Siyempre after ng
work like after niyang mag-Wowowee, mag-Uber tapos ako bakante naman
ang araw ko, yun minsan magdi-dinner," he said.

The actor said Mariel is very special to him, describing her as very down to earth with a very understaning attitude.

"Alam
mo parang ang sarap makasama, at kahit na hindi ako artista o maging
kaibigan mo lang, hanggang sa pagtanda kung mayroon kang ganoong
klaseng  kaibigan ang sarap," he said.

He added that he's always ready to come to Mariel's side to help her through situations like this.

"Siya
lang naman kasi kapag may ganyang isyu kailangan lang niya ng kaibigang
magpapalakas ng loob niya. Madali siyang tamaan, madali  siyang mainis.
Unang-una madali siyang maniwala sa lahat ng sinasabi ng tao, at ako
nandito naman ako para i-guide siya sa mga nangyayari--kahit hindi ko
pa naman talaga alam ang pasikot- sikot sa showbiz,' he said.

Zanjoe
is now busy taping for ABS-CBN's upcoming television series "Dyosa"
with actress Anne Curtis and actors Luis Manzano and Sam Milby. He is
also set to be seen on the sineserye "Florinda" with Maricel Soriano.

Zanjoe gained popularity when he joined Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition 1 in 2006.