Beauty-queen-actress-model Geena Zablan and movie, television, multimedia star and 1975 Mutya ng Pilipinas Most Photogenic Azenith Briones are bosom friends and they used to run around with each other until the latter was reported missing on November 15, 2023.
"Dalawang araw pa kaming magkasama ni Azenith. Nagpunta pa kami sa San Pablo City dahil bibili kami ng lanzones. Nagkataon na may mga sako siya ng lanzones kaya sabi ko, bibilhin ko 'yong isang sako at binayaran ko (We were together for two days. We went to San Pablo because we were supposed to buy lanzones fruits. It so happened that she had sacks of lhem so I told her I would buy one sack and I paid for it)," recalled Geena who was a Miss Teen Philippines titlist.
"Tapos, ang drayber niya ang bodyguard namin. Sabi ko nga sa kanya, hindi masyadong malaki ang katawan ng bodyguard niya (Her driver was her bodyguard. I told her he wasn't a big man to be a bodyguard)," recounted Zablan who was a contract star of Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions of the late Atty. Esperidion Laxa.
"Tapos, 'yon, nabalitaan na lang naming mga kaibigan niya na nawawala si Azenith (Then we her friends eventually heard the news that she was missing)," quipped Geena.
According to Zablan, Azenith was taken away from her house in Paranaque City.
Before the incident, Zenith went to Davao City and later to Samal Island.
It was through a certain Paul Macasiano that the netizens learned about Briones disappearance.
It was Azenith's official publicist Obette Serrano who sent this writer a socmed advisory about his client's disappearance.
Obette said it was forwarded to him by Beth Jones, the mother of actress Angelica Jones.
In his Facebook wall, Paul said that Azenith was abducted by. four men.
Before the abduction, Macasiano said, the beauty-queen-actress requested a security assistance from him which he granted because, Paul added, she feared for her life as she discovered that some of her children had withdrawn P4M from her savings.
When Azenith learned about it, she immediately closed her bank account.
Meanwhile, Isabel Rivas, one of Briones' fellow actresses and friends as well revealed that Azenith was committed to a rehabilitation center by her kids against her will.
"Azenith's children is accusing me of spreading fake news," said Isabel.
She even questioned that how could taking Azenith to a rehab center be a lie?
"I should speak the truth before it's too late. My friend's life is at stake," exclaimed Rivas, Marilou Yap in real life.
"They said that Azenith is a drug addict and a crazy woman. It's not true. My friend is a loving mother. She's not even an alcoholic.
Msanwhile, James Matthew Briones Reyes, one of Briones' kid said that her mother is fine. "Please tell your friends not to believe in what are being circulated in social. My mom is in safe hands," said James Matthew.
Until now, colleagues, friends and kin haven't seen or talked to Azenith.
Photo Caption: Azenith Briones (second from left) and Geena Zablan (extreme right) with their mutual friends (Photo Credit: Geen Zablan's Facebook)
#GeenaZablan #AzenithBriones #BeautyQueen #MutyaNgPilipinas #OpinYon #WeTakeAStand