For sure, tongues will wag more now that ABS-CBN has decided to pair off TV host Mariel Rodriguez with Robin Padilla in his first sitcom for the network, “Palibhasa Sikat.”

A source told Bulletin Entertainment that Kapamilya executives were reportedly unanimous in their choice of Rodriguez as Padilla’s love interest in the sitcom, which will start grinding very, very soon.

For about a month now, Padilla and Rodriguez have been rumored as the latest celebrity budding romance. This was after Padilla’s two-week stint as temporary co-host of “Wowowee” where Rodriguez is a regular co-host.

Padilla, in one previous interview, said he has a crush on Rodriguez.

And so when Rodriguez’s break-up with boyfriend Zanjoe Marudo hit the celebrity headlines, Padilla’s name was dragged into the romantic fray. But he dismissed the rumor by saying, “Lahat po ng ‘yon (flirting with the ‘Wowowee’ co-hosts) ay (limitado lang) sa apat na sulok lang ng ‘Wowowee.’”

Rodriguez asked that Padilla be spared from her break-up with Zanjoe.

“It’s unfair for him (Robin) to be blamed (for the split-up),” Mariel said adding there was no third wheel in their break-up as many have been speculating.

Just recently, Rodriguez and Padilla were seen leaving the birthday party of ABS-CBN executive Linggit Tan.

A source said that Rodriguez came to the party a few hours before Padilla arrived. When she was about to leave, a TV executive, Jay Montelibano, reportedly asked the “Wowowee” host to stay for a few minutes. Rodriguez obliged.

No sooner, Padilla came to greet the ABS-CBN executive. Then, he went to where Rodriguez was and after few minutes, they decided to leave the party together.

When queried, Padilla’s road manager Betchay said her ward just accompanied the TV host to her car, that it was just a gentlemanly gesture.

Padilla’s daughter, Queenie, revealed that her dad has lately been out of their house a lot.

“Hindi po siya umuuwi. Siguro po nandu’n po (kay Mariel). Siguro po nagde-date (sila),” Queenie said in a taped interview aired on “TV Patrol World” June 3.