Boy Abunda

TV host Boy Abunda has been accused of performing “character assassination” and “demolition job” on some of the “Pinoy Big Brother Double Up” housemates, particularly contender Paul Jake Castillo.

One of his accusers pointed out that during “The Big Truth” episode last Feb. 12 when Boy grilled PBB’s “Big Five,” he raised “sensitive and personal questions” to Paul Jake that should not have been asked from “out of nowhere.”

The accuser theorized that the talent manager threw such questions in order to tip the scale in favor of contestant Melai Cantiveros who is said to be ABS-CBN’s “bet.”

Boy had already aired his side regarding the controversy via a national broadsheet.

“I have total freedom. My network does not in any way manipulate me, and I wouldn’t allow that. For the interview [of the housemates], not a single question came from the network,” said he.

Boy added: “What do I have to gain? And I don’t know Melai, I don’t know Jason, I ask my questions the way I ask my questions. That’s the story.”

On his part, Castillo, who eventually ended up as Second Big Placer in the latest PBB season, said that he expected such touchy questions.

"Inside the house, I learned to always prepare myself for the worst. Nung pumasok na si Boy Abunda naisip ko na may mga itatanong na matitindi. Pero I know naman my own history. I don't think I have anything to be ashamed about," he said.

But were they really touchy queries to begin with? Unfair vis-avis the kind of questions Boy asked the rest of Jason Francisco, Tibo Jumalon, and Johan Santos?

Was Boy Abunda biased back then?

Below is the transcript of all that Boy asked of each of the contestants:

Questions for Paul Jake

1.  Nanonood ang sambayanan, nanonood ang buong bayan. Nakikinig, nagmamasid sa ating pag-uusap. Alam nating lahat that you come from a well-off, I mean a very hardworking family. Very, very respectable family. Very, very comfortable. Pero meron bang panahon sa iyong buhay na you think na kasalanang maging mayaman? And what do you think is the biggest disadvantage of being rich? Did you feel guilty about being rich? Dito sa bahay ni Kuya, were there moments when you said, ‘ay, ganun pala sila?’ because you didn’t get used to that kind of life?

2. Doon sa labas, doon sa iyong pamilya, what kind of son are you? What kind of boy is, was, Paul Jake?

3. If your friends were to describe you in one word, Paul Jake, what word would that be?

4. You’re not used to the hard life, alam namin ‘yan, but you’re a very good boy. You’re used to the comfort, because again, I emphasize the point again that your family works very, very hard. Let’s talk about learnings (sic). Kung meron kang mga natutunan dito sa loob ng Bahay ni Kuya, ano ang mga pinaka-importanteng learnings (sic)? Patience dahil sa pag-iingay ni Melai? Patience dahil sa pagmamarunong ni Tibo? Patience saan?

5. Paul Jake, diretsahang tanong ito sa ating pag-uusap: Why should I vote for you? This is a contest. Bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Johan? At bakit hindi ko siya dapat iboto? Why shouldn’t I vote for Tibo? Talk from the heart. Bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Tibo? Bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Melai? And that’s the reason why we should vote for them [Melai and Jason] because what you’re trying to say is whether we vote for them or not, they’re gonna be what?

6. Ganito na lamang. Crush mo na si Sam [Pinto, ex-“PBB” housemate]. Narinig ko. Remember Sam? In one of your parties, parang may nasabi ka yata gusto mo ring kunin ‘yung numero ni Sam. Paglabas ba ng Bahay, kukunin mo ba talaga ang numero ni Sam? And dapat bang ikabahala ito ni Denise, your girlfriend? Will you get her number? Are you interested?

7. I know you had your parties and gimmicks in Cebu. Deretsang tanong: Did you ever do drugs? Yes or no?

Questions for Tibo

1. Melai once said, actually, na lagi na lamang tama si Paul Jake pag pinag-uusapan nila. Wala ka nang nakikitang mali kay Paul Jake. Walang kasiraan kay Paul Jake. Tanong: Kung merong isang kasiraan si Paul Jake, ano ‘yun? And, puso sa puso again, are you afraid of him? May kinatatakutan ka ba?

2. You were too good to be true, sabi ng ating mga kaibigang nakakapanood sa inyo halos araw-araw. Sa iyong ikinilos dito sa Bahay ni Kuya, how much of that was true, and how much of that was kasinungalingan? Hindi 'yon strategy para makakuha ka ng boto, magkagusto sa’yo ang tao?

3. You’re simply too perfect. Lagi kang may comment about anything, you have something to say about somebody, etcetera. Eto tanong:  are you simply perfect in so many ways, I mean not perfect as in perfect but perfect in so many ways. Diretsa: What’s wrong with you? Hindi mo iniisip ang sarili mo o sobra mong iniisip ang sarili mo?

4. Tibo, have you always been 100% faithful to your wife? Talk about it. Alam ito ng iyong asawa? Humingi ka ng tawad?

5. You have three wonderful kids. Isang araw sasabihin nila, anong tawag nila sa’yo, Papa? Sasabihin ng mga anak mo, Papa Tibo, nasaan si Lolo? Bakit ayaw mo siyang patawarin? Bakit [mo] sinasabing hindi ka mahal ng iyong ama? Anong sasabihin mo sa iyong mga anak?

6. Why should I vote for you? Nanonood ang milyong-milyong tao. Why should I vote for you? Why shouldn’t I vote for Johan? Si Paul Jake, bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Paul Jake? Melai? Ikaw, hindi ka sigurado kung saan ka pupunta? Jason, why shouldn’t you vote for Jason?

Questions for Johan

1. I’ve always wanted to ask you this dahil sa mga naririnig kong kuwento. Napapanood kita dito sa loob. One time you were telling stories about gays going to the restaurant bar that you used to work for. Prangkahin mo ko: Anong tingin mo sa mga bakla? Eh kung halimbawa walang talent ang bakla? Were there some gays who went to the restaurant where you work before who would bring blank checks? Meron talaga? Anong ginawa mo? Are you just talking about one guy? So ang sinasabi mo you’re not open to a relationship with somebody gay?

2. Paglabas ng Bahay ni Kuya, ipu-pursue mo ba si Cathy [Remparas, ex-“PBB” housemate]? O ‘yun lamang ang ginamit niyong istratehiya para mapansin kayo ng tao? But do you really like her? Ano’ng meron ka na wala si Hermes? Do you like Hermes?

3. Why would I vote for you? Gaano kahalaga ‘yung pera? Gaano kahalaga ‘yung premyo? Gaano kahalaga ‘yung perks na kasama sa contest na ito? Why shouldn’t I vote for Tibo? Why shouldn’t I vote for Paul Jake? Bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Melisa? Bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Jason?

4. Hypothetical lamang: One day you discover meron kang HIV? You’re HIV positive. Anong gagawin mo?

5. When you talk about wife, you think about marriage, in how many years do you think you will get married?

6. Do you want to be famous?

7. Sabi nila, kapag narito kayo sa living room, sa ibang bahagi ng Bahay ni Kuya, napaka-pleasant mo. Pag nasa loob ka ng confession room, matalas ang iyong dila. Tanong: Alin doon ang totoong Johan? ‘Yung nasa labas na pleasant, o nasa loob, lalo na pag Nomination Night, o ‘yung Johan na matalas ang dila? Pero bakit may pagkakaiba ang kilos mo sa loob at labas ng confession room?

*Before he proceeded with his interview with Jason, Boy went back to Paul Jake and asked him some follow-up questions regarding his alleged drug use.

Paul Jake, bago kami mag-umpisa ni Jason, nais ko lamang i-klaro because medyo naputol tayo, maselan ang ating pinag-uusapan. Doon sa tanong ko na you did drugs as a child, go ahead, explain that. Pero ikina-klaro mo na hindi ka nalulong o nagka-hilig doon? Bilang bata, what is the worst thing about drugs?

Questions for Jason

1. Halimbawa, hindi nangyari ang “Pinoy Big Brother,” hindi nangyari ito. Nakasalubong mo si Melisa sa labas, halimbawa sa Esguerra St. Hindi kayo magkakilala, nagkasalubong lang kayo. Palagay mo ba liligawan mo siya? Palagay mo ba iibigin mo siya? Bakit? Halimbawa, ‘yung kanyang alindog, ‘yung kanyang buhok na mahaba, ‘yung kanyang itsura. Palagay mo hindi mo siya lilingunin?

2. May mga nagsasabi rin na simula nung nag-propose ka kay Melai, hindi naman, matagal-tagal na kayong nagkakasama dito, eh sabi nila bahagi daw ‘yun sa strategy mo para mapansin ka ng tao. Ipaliwanag mo ang sarili mo.

3. Anong mga pinakagusto mo sa kanya? So, girlfriend mo na siya? Sinagot ka na ni Melisa?

4. Bakit bihira kang maligo? Sabi nila eh, ang baho daw ng paa mo. Magsabi ka ng totoo baka naman talaga tamad kang maligo. Gaano ka ka-dalas ma-bad trip?

5. Bakit madalas mong utusan si Melai? Sabi nila madalas mo raw utusan si Melai. Pero sinasabi mong inuutusan ka rin ni Melai? Paano ka ba sinagot ni Melai?

6. In one conversation with Paul Jake, sabi ni Paul Jake natatakot ka raw ilabas, nagpapaka-astig ka raw dito sa loob ng Bahay ni Kuya, eh samantalang napaka-lambot at napakabuting tao mo raw sa loob. Pero kung ang tanong ay sino ba talaga ang totoong Jason: ‘yung astig na nakikita namin na madalas, o ‘yung malambot na Jason?

7. Bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Johan? Sinong mas guwapo, si Sam Milby o si Johan? Si Tibo, bakit hindi dapat iboto? Paul Jake, why shouldn’t I vote for Paul Jake? Si Melai? So kahit na hindi ka na iboto basta si Melai? Bakit ikaw ang dapat naming iboto?

Questions for Melai

1. Narinig mo kanina ‘yung sinabi ni Jason na kung halimbawa walang nangyari na “Pinoy Big Brother Double Up,” nagkasalubong kayo sa isang kalsada. Hindi ka raw niya papansinin. Anong nararamdaman mo? Naniniwala ka bang mahal ka talaga ni Jason? Bakit?

2. Maraming mga babae ang pumasok at lumabas dito sa loob ng Bahay ni Kuya. Matatangkad, magaganda, mga mestiza. Bakit ikaw ang natira dito sa “Big 5”? Pero Melisa gaano pa kalaki ‘yung inseguridad mo bilang isang babae?

3. Melisa, anong nais mong sabihin sa mga tao na nagsabi sa’yo noon na “Inday, pangit.” What do you want to tell all of these people?

4. Bakit hindi ko dapat iboto si Johan? Paul Jake? Hindi ka nagka-crush kay Paul Jake? Paano ka nagpakita ng gusto sa kanya? Pinansin ka niya? Si Jason?

5. Matagal ko nang hindi nailalabas ito. Ilalabas ko na ngayon ang aking mahiwagang salamin. Melisa, may imaginary mirror, nasa harap mo. Ilarawan mo ang babaeng nakikita mo. At ano ang nais mong sabihin sa kanya?