Seasoned actress Janice de Belen has come to the defense of her daughter, Kaila Estrada, who has been unfairly labeled as the “anak ng cheater” online.
The derogatory remarks surfaced after Kaila was announced as part of the main cast of the upcoming action series “Incognito”. Headlined by Ian Veneracion, Richard Gutierrez and Daniel Padilla, Incognito has drawn attention not just for its storyline but also for the controversies surrounding its main cast.
Co-stars Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings were recently embroiled in a viral cheating issue after Anthony’s ex-girlfriend, Jam Villanueva, leaked photos and messages alleging their romantic involvement.
Kaila, being one of the main cast members, has been branded as the “anak ng cheater” in viral memes, a reference to past issues involving her father, John Estrada.
Kaila is the third child of former celebrity couple. They separated in 2001, and their marriage was annulled in 2004.
During a recent interview after the media conference for her Metro Manila Film Festival 2024 horror entry “Espantaho,” Janice expressed her dismay over the negative labels being attached to Kaila.
“You know, I hate that people brand other people something like that. Sana wala kang pagkakamali ‘pag nagba-brand kang ganun. Sana wala kang pagkakamali,” Pilipino Star Ngayon quoted De Belen in its report. “Kasi it’s unfair. You damage their reputation.”
Janice expressed her frustration with how social media amplifies hate and judgment, particularly against public figures.
“Unang-una, mahirap kasi pag artista ka, sa panahon ng social media… target practice ka, e. Wala kang magagawa, ‘di ba? Kaya lang sana, huwag ganun,” she said, lamenting the toxic environment.
The actress also reflected on the internet’s original intent, which she said was to connect and inspire people. Despite the challenges, Janice encouraged netizens to spread positivity instead of negativity.
“Nakaka-toxic. Nakakalungkot. Kaya pilitin na lang natin na happy thoughts ang i-post natin. Inspiring thoughts. Inspiring quotations. Kasi as it is, napakahirap na ng buhay, ‘di ba? Let’s try to uplift each other, not destroy each other,” she concluded.
Similarly, another cast member of Incognito, Ian Veneracion, has also spoken out about the issue between his co-stars, expressing more concern for the two, than its possible impact on their upcoming project.
