BELEAGUERED action star John Regala’s wish that he be recognized by actor Mel Francisco as his son won’t happen anymore.
Mel died early last week of cardiac arrest at a still unnamed hospital in Laguna.
During his interviews, Francisco had vehemently denied John was his son.
“Hindi ko anak si John Regala (John Regala isn’t my son),” harped Mel although many in the showbiz could testify that John is indeed his son.
“Anong pinagsasasabi ni Mel Francisco na hindi niya anak si John samantalang alam ko na siya ang kasama sa bahay noon ni Ruby Regala d’yan sa may Roces Avenue (What is Mel Franciso saying that John isn’t his son when I know for a fact that he and Ruby Regala lived in one house somewhere in Roces Avenue?)
“Mag-boyfriend sina Ruby at Mel at anak nila si John. Huwag magsinungaling si Mel (Ruby and Mel were lovers and John is their son. Mel shouldn’t tell a lie),” ranted actress Divina Valencia, who was a very close friend of Ruby, each time he publicly disowned him.
Mel’s disowning John has been hurting the latter even when he was recently found sick and forlorn after his mom Ruby died two years ago.
“Masakit (It’s painful),” said John.
Despite Francisco’s renouncement of Regala, the action star couldn’t help but cry for the death of the man he was introduced by her mom as his dad.
Last week, entertainment writer Renz Sprangler went to see and get the reaction of John on the demise of his “dad”. Renz, according to veteran entertainment newshen Alice Vergara, was also teary-eyed when Regala shed a tear for Mel.
Francisco had been living with his newfound love in Los Baños, Laguna, for years after his romance with Nina Sara, a singer and actress who was raped by lesbians in the mid-80s. It was Mel who took care of Nina during those trying times, which led to a relationship while he was living-in with her elder sister, Margie Sara and their kids. Meanwhile, Nina bore Mel two beautiful daughters.
The younger Sara felt sad about her former beau’s death.
“Sumakit daw ang tiyan, tapos, dinala sa ospital. Tapos, bumuti ang pakiramdam kasi nakakain pa daw ng marami, tas ‘yon, (He had a stomach pain, so he was hospitalized. Then, he felt better because he could eat a lot, then, he suffered) na-heart attack,” informed Nina.
Mel was 78.