MANILA, Philippines - Isn’t it ironic that while the country nay, the whole world!, is praying for peace and reconciliation after the tragic hostage-taking incident, two showbiz denizens are fighting tooth and nail, short of throwing the sink at each other, rattling skeletons better left in the closet?

In the past weeks, Claudine Barretto and Angelica Panganiban have been mudslinging each other on their Twitter accounts, in the process dragging other people into the mud, including a non-showbiz couple who is reported to be friends with the quarreling stars. The wife has denied a rumor, said to have been spread by Angelica, linking Claudine to the husband.

Ironically, Claudine and Angelica have just survived separate clashes with a common “enemy,” none other than Claudine’s sister Gretchen Barretto who, thank heavens, has stayed “neutral”... so far. The first time Claudine and Angelica figured in a head-on collision was in the ABS-CBN soap Iisa Pa Lamang. That was for reel; now, it’s for real.

Instead of helping sort out the mess, those who are expected to know better (because they are older and should put themselves above the unfortunate incident and should act as peacemaker) only worsen the situation by issuing statements like, “The only reason Angelica has not come out to defend herself against Claudine’s accusations is because what she has to say would be so compelling and devastating to Claudine’s career. That is why she has chosen the path of silence. Angelica still has compassion for Claudine and rejects all the falsehoods attributed to her.”

I presumed that the devastating “secret” (if it was) could be the rumor linking Claudine to a married man who happens to be a friend of her husband Raymart Santiago and of Angelica’s boyfriend Derek Ramsay. Raymart said in a statement that he and “the husband” have already cleared the issue between them.

Now, the two camps are threatening to file charges against each other.

If cooler (read: “rational” and “sane”) heads don’t intervene, we might not see the end of this word war that has become a favorite national spectator sport. Sad to say, Claudine and Angelica might end up both losers like what happened to stars in similar showbiz clashes.

Come to think of it, why don’t Claudine and Angelica settle the matter once and for all on the TV5’s Face to Face (ang kauna-unahang talakserye sa telebisyon) and let Tiyang Amy Perez act as referee, and with the sulsoleros and sulsoleras sitting in the audience as the sawsaweros and sawsaweras? The show allows the fighting guests to vent pent-up emotions (anger, bitterness, resentment, envy, insecurity, etcetera) on and against each other, lets them throw punches (or even shoes, slippers and chairs) and hurl invectives (bleeped-bleeped!) at each other, only to kiss and make up and let bygones be bygones. That’s how simple folks settle an issue. All in one hour. In court, the hearing could drag on and on and on (like the Hayden-Katrina case), until the issue is overtaken by a new one and nobody bothers with it anymore (ho-hum!).

Incidentally, the Claudine-Angelica brouhaha also started in Twitter like those raised by the so-called Ampalaya Anonymous whose members (true to their group’s “bitter” name) picked on stars they didn’t like and/or envied. It’s a good thing that the AA disbanded before it could wreck more havoc on the showbiz scene.

Moral of the story?

Don’t tweet.

* * *

Enough of the bad news.

Here are nice stories that should set us off to a bright week ahead:

In his latest report, Funfare’s New York-based “beauty expert” Felix Manuel notes that the recent victory of Christi Lynn Landrito McGarry as Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific has inspired other Fil-Ams to hitch their wagon to the same star.

“Engineer Danilo Pagsambugan, founder of Miss Maharlikang Pilipino-USA pageants has lined up more beauties for future competitions,” said Felix who acts as the pageant’s coach and consultant. A few months ago, Rene Rosario Aquino McHugh became Maharlikang Pilipino-USA’s first beauty to land in the final five of the 2010 Miss Philippines-Earth pageant. Christi Lynn and Rene started their pageant careers with Nena Lozada Kaufman’s Philippine Hearts and Hopes Society, Inc., producer of the Miss Teen Philippines-USA pageant. Christi Lynn was crowned the first ever Miss Teen Philippines-USA in 2005 while Rene was first runner-up in 2009.”

This year, Samantha Shaw, a 15-year-old singer and guitar player won 2011 Miss Teen Philippines-USA and promises to try her luck in a beauty contest in the Philippines when she comes of age. 1995 Miss Dominican Republic Candida Lara, a Miss Universe finalist, served as the chairman of the board of judges in the affair held in New Jersey.

According to Felix, former Manila top model Mary Anne Mendoza Herrera and designer Gino Fernando, both based in Baltimore, Maryland, recently produced the 2010 Mutya Ng Amerika Pageant under the umbrella of Maharlikang Pilipino-USA. The winner, Madison Elliott, will represent the tri-state area of Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia at the 2011 Mutya Ng Pilipinas pageant. Her runners-up Heather Horner, Dianne Butler, Nerissa Lumban and Bea Querido, if qualified, will have a chance to compete in various beauty contests in the Philippines.

Dutch-Pinoy makes it to Holland’s Got Talent finals

From Funfare contributor Rosbel Bunag:

Nine-year-old Kim Derek Cornel Regasa has made it to the finals of Holland’s Got Talent.

Born to a Filipino mom, Marinel Regasa, and a Dutch father, Carlo De Blank, Kim has lived life in the Philippines and is now based in Holland.

He was enticed to join Holland’s Got Talent after watching the show on television. With the full support of his parents, Kim sent a video of him singing and it qualified him to audition as a contestant.

Kim inherited his talent from his mom who is a singer. Marinel started singing when she was six years old as a way to earn money for her family. Kim also started singing very young, joining contests when he was three years old. He has won several times. Kim and Marinel sang together on many occasions. They met Randy Santiago in one performance.

Of the 4,000 aspiring contestants, only 32 passed to move on to the semi-finals. Kim is one of the three who made it to the finals. When asked about his ambition, Kim replied that he wanted to earn money to help poor children by buying them clothes, and to be a famous singer in the Philippines and in Holland. Marinel and Carlo are proud of their little Kim, saying that they will support their son as long as he enjoys what he’s doing.

Holland’s Got Talent’s finals will be on Sept. 10.

What’s up?

• Fr. Joey Faller’s healing schedule: Today, 2 p.m. at Feast of Nina Maria, Castanas, Sariaya, Quezon at Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban, Quezon, 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 8, 11 (with a 5 p.m. schedule at Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Lucena City), 15, 18, 22, 25 (with a 5:30 p.m. schedule at Graceland Estates) and 29; Sept. 12, 9 a.m. at SM Bacoor, Bacoor, Cavite; Sept. 14, 2 p.m. at Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Naic, Cavite; Sept. 24, 12 noon at Export Bank, Buendia Avenue, Makati City; and at 7 p.m. at the Metropolitan Hospital on Masangkay St., Sta. Cruz, Manila; Sept. 26, 9 a.m. at SM Bacoor, Bacoor, Cavite; and Sept. 27, 3 p.m. at Parish of St. Michael the Archangel, Oas, Albay.

• From reader Iris Crystal, this rejoinder to a recent Funfare item: Pilita Corrales, 72, has seven grandchildren (her daughter Jackie Lou Blanco and husband Ricky Davao have two girls and one boy; and Pilita’s son Monching and Lotlot de Leon have three girls and one boy). (Note: Pilita is one of Ricky Reyes’ Gandang Lola models, together with Gloria Romero, 76, with one grandchild, and Barbara Perez, 70, with two grandchildren.)

• Benedicto (Ben) Guevara Pinga, a filmmaker and Bataan Veteran of San Roque, Marikina, passed away on Aug. 20 at 90 at his home Spiritual Garden in Montalban, Rizal. He was known as the Father of Filipino Documentary Film and the first Filipino graduate of Film and Television in New York. He won several local and foreign awards from his classic film productions. He is also known as the founder of FAMAS, Film Society, Film Institute, Philippine Society of Cinematographers and Specialized Filipino Filmmakers Organization; PLM Film and TV Center director; OSFILM president; member of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) board of governors; commissioner of Manila Arts and Culture and National Commission for Culture and the Arts; head of Philippine Archives; and honorary member of the Screenwriters Guild and the Pilipino Film Directors Association. As a World War II veteran, Pinga fought in Bataan as a sergeant of the 202nd Combat Engineers. A guerilla leader in Laguna, he was wounded in action and was part of the infamous Death March.

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)