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Divine Lee on Raymond Gutierrez’s and Tim Yap’s controversial birthday parties: ‘Let’s just try to set good example’

Article (news)

Leo Bukas

Pumirma ng management contract ang influencer at TV personality na si Divine Lee sa Viva Artists Agency (VAA). Nitong Huwebes, January 28 ay humarap naman siya sa ilang entertainment press sa pamamagitan ng isang virtual presscon.Kilala rin bilang isang socialite si Divine lalo na nung hindi pa siya nag-aasawa. Isa rin siyang tagapagtanggol ng LGBTQ community.Kaibigan ni Divine sina Raymond Gutierrez at Tim Yap na nagkaroon ng “controversial birthday party” kamakailan lang.<div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2021/1/27/fresh-scoops/tim-yap-says-birthday-party-in-baguio-followed-lgu-191314">READ: Tim Yap says birthday party in Baguio followed LGU protocols, aimed to promote local tourism</a></div>Ayon kay Divine, inimbita siya ni Tim sa party nito sa Baguio noong January 17 pero dahil sa Cebu siya nag-i-stay kasama ng asawa at dalawang anak kaya hindi niya ito pinuntahan. Hindi na rin daw niya priority ngayong ang pumarty.Si Raymond naman ay nag-birthday sa isang bar sa Bonifacio Global City noong January 21 na dinaluhan ng ilang showbiz personalities including Yassi Pressman.Parehong na-bash sina Tim at Raymond sa ginawa nilang b-day party dahil sa pagsi-circulate ng mga larawang hindi nakasuot ng face mask ang guests sa venue at hindi rin nagkaroon ng social distancing.<div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2021/1/25/fresh-scoops/netizens-criticize-raymond-gutierrez-after-bgc-res-191279">READ: Netizens criticize Raymond Gutierrez after BGC resto allegedly closed down following birthday party</a></div>Aminado si Divine na sa simula ay hindi niya nakitang merong mali sa ginawa ni Tim at Raymond.“They’re both close to me. I worked with Mond for Showbiz Police, ilang years din kami, and Tim is actually one of my best friends. I was actually invited to that Baguio party, but I have kids so I didn’t go.” Patuloy pa niya, “It’s sad that sometimes kasi parang hindi natin… Ako, ha, putting it in a position na nagka-COVID ako, may mga bata na if they do get sick, they cannot tell me, kasi they’re kids.“Hindi nga kaya ni Baz (anak ni Divine) na magsalita ng A to Z, yung masabi pa niyang may loss of smell siya, di ba?”Pakiramdam din ni Divine ay napagod na sa lockdown ang mga tao kaya minsan ay nakakalimutan na nila ang mga safety protocols na ipinatutupad.“You know, people are fatigued already with this lockdown. I totally understand, that’s why noong Spanish Flu after, it’s the roaring &#x27;20s, lahat nagwawala.“I feel, like, everybody is at that point. But I also feel like, as influencer, there are people na maraming nakasunod sa kanila, they could have thought better,” lahad niya.“To be honest, I’m going to be honest, at that point, when I was invited, hindi ko nakita yung mali dahil inisip ko, oo nga, naka-PCR naman. But then I realized, when people started calling it out, oo nga, yung may IATF, that it is wrong.“And I feel, like, may lapse of judgment ako, and that probably also happened to them. Inisip nila, okay, safe na, kasi lahat naka-PCR. Hindi nila naisip na mas marami pang ibang issues involved about it.“So, with what they’re getting on social media, para namang natuto na rin. I’m sure, they realized na, ‘Oo nga, may mali.’ I don’t think they’re also denying na meron silang mali,” dagdag niyang pahayag.Sa pagkakaalam ni Divine ay nag-apologize na si Tim sa nangyari.“I believed that Tim already apologized also for his lapse of judgment. His main motive, when I was talking to him, was maayos naman—to promote local tourism. Pero yun nga lang, nakalimutan natin mag-mask. Nakalimutan natin ang social distancing.“Yung pandemic kasi is something new to everyone so lahat tayo nangangapa. Sometimes we forget when we’re too safe. But being in the eye of COVID dati, parang parati akong ginigising ng konsensya ko na, &#x27;Do you want to isolate again for 14 days? Do you want to worry about your husband again in the hospital?&#x27;“I told Tim that. Ang sabi ko, it’s not a joke kahit na we were okay after, it’s really not a joke. My tita died of it. People die because of it. At least, we can restrict an extra precaution and show people.“Kasi kung makita ng ibang tao, ‘O pwede na naman pala, e!’ Baka sila-sila, mag-party-party na rin. Let’s just try to set good example,” deklara pa ni Divine.

Divine Lee admits she was also invited to Tim Yap’s controversial birthday party.