Darren Espanto came to the defense of his best friend AC Bonifacio, who is currently facing online criticism as one of the celebrity housemates in ‘Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition’.
At the launch of 7-Eleven’s City Cafe on March 26 at Newport City, Pasay, Darren addressed the backlash AC has been receiving, noting that much of it stems from misunderstandings.
“Feeling ko hindi ganun kadami ‘yung issue niya kung nasa loob ako ng bahay kasama niya,” Darren joked, before seriously adding, “A lot of people misinterpret what the housemates say or do inside the house—not just AC.”
The ‘It’s Showtime host’, who has been friends with AC for eight years, emphasized how deeply he knows her, saying, “I know what the backstory is to what she’s doing inside. I’m not saying we tolerate everything, but we’re here to support her.”
Darren revealed that he and fellow content creator Niana Guerrero are often tagged in posts asking about AC. He shared that they’ve been keeping in touch with AC’s mother, Cherry, and have even had group calls to discuss how she’s doing inside the house.
@lionheartv Darren Espanto, payag nga bang maging housemate ng ‘PBB Celebrity Collab Edition’? Anong sey sa kanyang bestie na si AC Bonifacio? #DarrenEspanto #ACBonifacio #PBBCelebrityCollabEdition #LionhearTV #RAWRNation @Darren Espanto @Andree Bonifacio #EntertainmentNewsPH #NewsPH #TiktokTainmentPH #BestofTiktokPH
“We’re all affected. Even if it’s not our family, when it’s our friends being bashed, it still hurts,” he admitted.
As AC faces possible eviction, Darren called on the public to be more understanding: “I hope people give her a chance to showcase her talents, her personality, and how good of a person she is.”
When asked if he’d ever consider entering the ‘PBB’ house, Darren said he’d be open to doing so again—as long as it’s just as a guest housemate. “Parang gusto ko may ginagawa ako. Otherwise, di ako mapapakali,” he laughed.
Meanwhile, Darren also expressed excitement over his newest endorsement as the face of 7-Eleven’s City Cafe. A self-confessed coffee lover, he shared, “I drink coffee so much I feel like I manifested this project.”
He added that his go-to order is iced black coffee, which fuels him through long days filled with gym sessions, events, and hosting duties.
