TV personality Toni Rose Gayda refuted earlier reports that her son, Edward James Lim, took his own life because of depression.

The 27-year old youngest son of the “Eat Bulaga” host passed away on March 19, after accidentally falling from the balcony of their fourth floor condominium in Mandaluyong City.

“Matalino naman ‘yung anak ko. Kung magsu-suicide ‘yan, aakyat ‘yan sa rooftop. Kasi bakit ka tatalon kung alam mong masasaktan ka lang, ‘di ba? ‘Yung mababalian ka lang? So that’s not it. He really slipped,” the grieving mother said on “Startalk.”

She added, “Nobody will commit suicide na may yosi.”

Toni Rose admitted that their family has expected these allegations, but maintained that they hold the truth.

“Expected naman talaga namin ‘yun. Ang anak ko, tahimik na. He’s already with the Lord. And kami naman we have accepted already na wala na siya sa amin. Kung anuman ‘yung mga haka-haka, kanya-kanya ‘yan eh. We know in our hearts kung ano ‘yung katotohanan,” she said.

Meanwhile, her ex-husband Monie Lim is enraged over their driver’s statement on TV interviews that their son committed suicide.

“Nanggaling ‘to dun sa driver. He made the conclusion na kaya tumalon si James… may depression daw. Kinausap ko ‘yung driver, tapos sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Pa’no mo maide-deny sa’kin eh lumabas sa TV, ni-review ko sa TV, tiningnan ko rin sa computer, I saw you saying all of those things, so how can you deny it?’” he said in a separate interview.

He echoed Toni Rose’s view that if their budding musician-son wanted to kill himself, “Aakyat ‘yan ng 20th floor at ‘yan sigurado, patay.”

He further lamented: “Masakit naman tanggapin na may parang sira ng ulo ‘yung aking anak, [and] it’s unfair for us to accept na suicide na hindi naman suicide.”

Although the businessman said he doesn’t have plans to sue anyone, he requested the Mandaluyong city mayor Benhur Abalos to help their family clear the false reports.

“I’m just requesting sana the kind mayor to give justice naman. I want everything transparent and fair na lumabas lang ‘yung katotohanan na it was just a plain accident,” he said.

Toni Rose admitted on “Startalk” that she somehow feels a little guilty over the death of her son.

“May part ako ng sisi siguro kung bakit sinabi kong, ‘’Wag kang mag-yosi sa kuwarto mo.’ But then naisip ko siguro oras na niya talaga. I just have to let go,” she said.

The TV host recalled reprimanding her 27-year old son two days before his death regarding his smoking.

“The other night pinagalitan ko siya. Sabi ko, ‘James, favor naman,’ sabi ko, ‘Don’t smoke na in your room.’ Sabi ko, ‘If you can just go out’. ‘O sige Mom’, sabi niyang ganun.”

Narrating what they know of James’ accident, Toni Rose began:

“So sabi four o’clock [a.m.] daw kanina nagising siya, the usual. Nag-computer pa. Tapos bumili siya ng sigarilyo. Siguro tinamad na bumaba ulit, binuksan niya ‘yung balcony. Dun siya lumabas. 4th floor kami… may railing kami. Ang ginawa niya siguro, umupo. Eh malaki ‘yung anak ko eh. He’s 6’2” na medyo mataba nang konti. Siguro umupo siya dun… na-off balance.”

She knew about the accident through her driver, who woke her up.

“Narinig nung mga yaya sa second floor na may umuungol. So nag-report sa guard na parang may nangyari. Kasi may narinig silang parang bagsak na malakas. Ginising ng guard ‘yung mga driver. Umakyat ‘yung driver ko sa taas, sabi, ‘Ma’am nahulog si James. May nangyari ho, basta sumama kayo’.”

Toni Rose continued: “Then I saw him nakahiga. Sabi niya, ‘Ma, I’m in pain… Pain… pain,’ gumaganon siya. ‘James’—ni hindi ko na natanong what happened—sabi ko, ‘hang in there’.”

She said James still made it to the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital, surviving for half an hour before he finally succumbed to death at 6:30 a.m. “Nag-cardiac arrest, nag-flat line na,” she said.

According to the medico legal, Toni Rose added, he had a lump in his lower cheek, fractured elbow, rib cage and right leg.

Toni Rose also shared what could have been a premonition for her son’s impending passing.

“Two days ago, may hinahanap akong polo shirt na pina-dry clean ko pa. Kasi minsan nagshe-share sila ng damit magkapatid [John and James]. Sabi ko, ‘James, o, sa’yo na lang ‘to. Gamitin mo sa special occasion. Sayang naman ‘to, Armani pa ‘yan.’ Little did I know ito ‘yung special occasion niya. But I’d like to call it special because I want to believe he’s in heaven already,” she related.

Toni Rose has turned to the Creator during this time of grief, saying, “I’m functioning on grace. I’m in God’s autopilot.”

James’ remains were cremated on the same day of his death at the La Funeraria Paz. He has a two-day wake at the Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills.