Kris Aquino, 2 sons leave home

MANILA, Philippines—Showbiz celebrity Kris Aquino has left the home she shares with husband, basketball star James Yap, shortly after the news of her quarrel with another girl over Yap was reported in the papers last week.

Aquino has brought her two sons, Joshua and James Jr., with her to live in the home of her sister Pinky, she said in an interview on the showbiz talk show "The Buzz" on Sunday.

"I need space for myself. Bugbog na bugbog na ako (I’m beat up already). James and I need to fix ourselves in order for us to be OK together," said the movie actress and TV host.

Aquino denied confronting and shouting insults at Mayen Austria, an alleged female fan of Yap's. This reportedly happened on January 20 at the gate of the Austria residence at Valle Verde 2 subdivision in Pasig City.

Aquino added that she left their Valle Verde home also out of fear for her children's safety. "[The Austrias and I] live in the same village. I'm always away working, baka ang mga anak ko naman ang balikan (my children might be the next targets)," she pointed out.

Aquino, however, admitted that she and Yap have already been having marital problems since December and that Yap left their home shortly after Christmas. "'Di ko s'ya ginulo (I did not bother him). He needed time to think," she said.

Aquino earlier said she and Yap had a misunderstanding because of her busy work schedule and lack of time for the family. "[When he came back], I thought everything was OK. We tried to live under one roof, pero sumbatan ng sumbatan. Nakakapagod na," she said. She is also a host of the showbiz magazine show "SNN" and a cast member of the newest drama series "Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo" on ABS-CBN Channel 2.

Aquino said she almost gave up on her marriage in 2007, when Yap was reported to have had romantic liaisons with Hope Centeno, then a receptionist at the Belo Medical Clinic, which Aquino used to endorse.

"It can't always be my family that's telling me to save the marriage. It has to come from him, too," she said. "I've tried. God knows, I've tried. In all fairness to James he has also tried, but in my opinion, maybe not hard enough."

Aquino said she is still hoping to salvage the marriage. "I'm not saying that the marriage is over. In my heart I still want it to work because Baby James deserves a mother and a father, but doesn't deserve this mess," Aquino stressed. "I don't question the fact that he is really good to Josh and has loved Josh as his own. He is very loving toward Baby James." Joshua is Aquino's son with actor Phillip Salvador.

Aquino added: "He knows I still love him. In all this time, I never gave him any reason to doubt my fidelity. I just want the same thing in return."