Sarah Balabagan decided to break her silence about the issue regarding newscaster Arnold Clavio being the father of her first-born. After more than 20 years of keeping the truth, she revealed the reason she chose to be silent before.
In a live video post on Facebook on Friday, August 21, she gave her response to the Arnold Clavio issue.
Sarah explained that she decided to talk now because the issue arose once again and she realized that no secret will ever be kept forever.
“Kaya ko po ginagawa ito ay dahil po after 22 years na po na pangyayari sa buhay ko, ito na naman. Lumabas na naman. Sabi nga nila, walang bahong hindi lalabas. Naisip ko po, hindi po ako nalungkot para sa sarili ko, dahil sa totoo lang po, by God’s grace, nakapag-move on na po ako. Masaya na ako sa buhay ko ngayon. Mahal na mahal ko ‘yung asawa ko, mahal na mahal ko ‘yung mga anak ko at very supportive ‘yung asawa ko sa lahat ng ginagawa ko,” she said.
She said that it is okay for her to talk about the issue now that she has already moved on. She mentioned that she is already happy with life because her husband and children love and support her.
She also said that before she decided to speak up about the issue, she asked for permission from her husband first as a sign of respect for him.
“Nirerespeto ko po ang aking asawa, humingi po ako sa kanya ng pahintulot na magsalita para once and for all ay maging malinaw na kung sino ba talaga ang ama ng panganay ko,” she stated.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos dahil very supportive po ang aking asawa. Napakalaki po ng sakripisyo niya para sa akin,” she added.
Sarah said that she also had ‘go signal’ from her family when she confided to them about speaking up towards the issue.
Her friend was the first one to let her know of the viral post regarding the Arnold Clavio issue. She had a realization that maybe it is God’s will for her so that she can finally clear up the information from the issue.
She added that another reason as to why she only opened up about the issue now is because she thought of her children. She said that she will not always be around to answer questions regarding the issue.
“Kaya ko rin po naisip gawin ‘to dahil naisip ko nga po ‘yung mga anak ko. Hindi naman sa habang panahon ay buhay ako para sagutin at itama po ang inyong mga tanong, haka-haka at mga chismis dyan,” she explained.
“Paano ‘pag wala na rito ako sa mundo? Tapos hindi ko ito itinama, ikinorek? Baka mamaya maging multo pa ito sa mga anak ko,” she added.
She revealed that through the viral post regarding the issue, she was able to be given an opportunity to clarify things to the people. She was also able to debunk some of the rumors about her.
“Ngayon ako nagsalita dahil salamat sa Diyos nag-viral ‘yung post na iyon at ngayon may dahilan ako para ituwid ang mga dapat ituwid. Kase po alam niyo po ba, kahit noon pa po na nandyan ako sa Pilipinas marami pong mga haka-haka, mga chismis, tapos meron pa talagang mga tao na harap-harapang tatanungin ‘yung mga chismis na ‘yun,” Sarah said.
She answered a rumor about the late ambassador Roy Señeres being the father of her eldest saying that the ambassador was just someone whom she is grateful to for helping her throughout her pregnancy.
“Alam niyo po, si the late ambassador Roy Señeres, siya po ‘yung tumulong sa akin. Ang pamilya po nila ang tumulong sa akin nu’ng mga panahon na ako ay nabuntis. At para hindi kumalat sa public, para hindi masira ‘yung image ko noon, image noong taong ‘yon, ay itinago ako, kinupkop po ako nila Ambassador Roy Señeres,” she explained.
“Ang nakakalungkot, binabaliktad na siya daw ‘yung ama. Kahit po nung pumanaw na si ambassador may mga nagtatanong rin sa akin na siya ba talaga ‘yung ama ng panganay ko,” she added.
https://www.facebook.com/SarahBalabagan/videos/10157534475498549/
In the same video, she confirmed that it was indeed Arnold Clavio who is the father of her first-born.
“Ang ama po ng panganay ko ay yes, si Arnold Clavio po,” she said.
She explained that she became close to the newscaster when Clavio showed her kindness and made her happy through his fun personality.
“Kaya po kami naging close. Ngayon po, sa lahat ng mga nakakakilala personally kay Arnold Clavio, alam niyo po kung gaano po siya ka-kenkoy. Hindi lamang po ‘yung mukha niya kung hindi po ‘yung… talagang ‘yung sense of humor niya. Kahit ‘pag umiiyak ako, kahit malungkot ako, napapatawa niya po ako. So, just imagine po, na galing ako sa kulungan. Kung gaano po ako ka-vulnerable noon,” she said.
“Siya po ‘yung isang tao na kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nag-pasyal sa akin sa Maynila. Siya rin po ‘yung kauna-unahang tao na nagyaya sa akin na manood ng sine sa Maynila. So ako naman po, tuwang tuwa. ‘Napakabait naman ni kuya Arnold.’ Marami pa pong kwento pero ayaw kong i-kwento ngayon,” she added.
Sarah was a victim of human trafficking when she worked as a domestic helper for a 67-year-old widower in the United Arab Emirates. She was only 14 at the time when she worked abroad. She killed her employer by stabbing him 34 times when the man tried to rape her.
She was originally sentenced to death but the sentence was later reduced to a year in jail and 100 strokes of the cane, along with payment of blood money.
She returned to the Philippines on August 1, 1996, to a hero’s welcome. She married June Sereno in 2013. Since 2018, she has lived in Las Vegas with her husband and five children.
