Kris Aquino saga

ONE of the most frightening movies of all time, for me, is “The Devil’s Advocate.” It revolves around Kevin Lomax, a young lawyer Kevin Lomax (played by Keanu Reeves) who joins a big-time law firm by taking on the most difficult criminal cases and always getting a favorable verdict for his clients who have committed hideous crimes.

Mel Libre

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Due to the demands of his work, he spends less time with his wife (played by Charlize Theron), who believes that her husband’s co-workers are demons. When his wife commits suicide, Kevin confronts his boss, John Milton (Al Pacino at his best), who reveals himself not only as his father, but also as Satan.

Kevin succeeds in thwarting the plan of Satan by doing the right thing at the start of his career. But then, Satan was there again, saying, "Vanity — definitely my favorite sin."

Why am I telling you about this? One of the most publicized reality shows in the Philippines is the life of Kris Aquino. The youngest child of martyred hero, Ninoy Aquino and revered president Corazon Aquino, Kris had been in the limelight starting at a very young age. When Cory became president, she was given permission to pursue a career in entertainment.

Her early films, which took advantage of her political kinship and captivating charm, were commercially successful but nobody really took her acting seriously. But she had the tenacity of Ninoy and morphed not only into a dramatic actress but also as one of the most successful television personalities of her time. But something has to give.

The Filipino audience followed her personal struggles in her relationships with Philip Salvador and then with Joey Marquez. When we thought she’d live happily ever after with basketball player James Yap, she had the marriage annulled.

For the past days, we’ve been getting the blow-by-blow account on the latest drama on “Kris TV.” On national television, she announced, "I'm stating this now categorically.

I have to make a sacrifice. They don't deserve this. My family doesn't deserve this suffering. I don't want to be selfish for the rest of my life."

Her making the announcement in media instead of simply withdrawing from the limelight gives me the chills, as it did in the final scene of “The Devil’s Advocate.” Can Kris leave behind the addictive lure of fortune and fame? Can she be humble, the antidote of vanity?

Let us hope that Kris will fulfill her promise to her children. Let the Kris Aquino saga end.