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Paul Desiderio accused of abusing former partner

Article (news)

Leah Bueno 

<div><em>Trigger warning: abuse</em></div><p>Basketball player Paul Desiderio is being accused of domestic abuse by his former partner, former UAAP courtside reporter Agatha Uvero.</p><p>Agatha, with whom Paul shares a one-year-old son, made the allegations in a lengthy statement she posted on Twitter on Wednesday, July 13.</p><p>&quot;I really hate airing dirty laundry on social media but I also don&#x27;t have it in me anymore to keep quiet just because I know that so many people empower this person and enable him to be the abuser he is. Like all of you, I have been nothing but a fan of this man, in fact the #1 fan,&quot; Agatha began.</p><p>&quot;In my desperate attempt to reinforce his good behavior, I always posted the highlights and the best of our relationship. As a go-getter, a woman with a strong personality, I couldn&#x27;t admit to myself that I had a lapse of judgment in this man who I defended to many people who told me to avoid. I&#x27;m swallowing my pride for my own safety and for my own accountability not to cover up for someone just because of love or fear.&quot;</p><p>Agatha, 24, claimed that Paul was emotionally and physically violent throughout the duration of their relationship. Among the acts she listed were strangling, punching, hitting, kicking, biting, and &quot;locking me [up], telling me I wouldn&#x27;t leave that room alive or both of us would die.&quot; </p><p>The former UAAP courtside reporter said the abuse didn&#x27;t stop even when she was already pregnant with Paul&#x27;s child. She and Paul welcomed their son, Juan Andres, in April last year.</p><p>&quot;I have proof, pictures, screenshots [of the abuse]. If no one will side with me, I&#x27;ll accept it but I know the truth. I am not perfect and I&#x27;ve had my own mistakes in this relationship but no matter how mad I was, if I was almost twice your height and weight, I wouldn&#x27;t hurt you like this,&quot; she told Paul.</p><p>&quot;I have PTSD from the abuse I&#x27;ve endured under him and right now am so scared to do this but I&#x27;m thinking of all the other girls in my place,&quot; she added. &quot;We won&#x27;t let them be the victors while we hide as silent victims. Our silence eats us up slowly and causes us to retract from our other loved ones. Please ladies, we can&#x27;t allow this to keep happening. Men should be accountable for their actions.&quot;</p><p>It was only last June when Agatha announced that she and Paul had gone their separate ways, after several years of dating and getting engaged in November 2019.</p><p>At the time, she tweeted: &quot;It’s not breakup season, for some it’s loving yourself season.”</p><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2019/9/13/fresh-scoops/eraserheads-guitarist-marcus-adoro-accused-of-verb-39001"><strong><u>READ: Eraserheads guitarist Marcus Adoro accused of verbal and physical abuse by daughter</u></strong></a></div><p>Paul, of the Blackwater Bossing and formerly the UP Fighting Maroons, has yet to respond to Agatha&#x27;s claims as of this writing. Currently, the 25-year-old athlete is recuperating after suffering an ACL tear in late May. </p><div> </div><div><em>If you or anyone you know is in need of assistance for domestic abuse, you may contact the following:</em></div><div><strong><em>For police investigation/assistance</em></strong></div><div><em>National Emergency Hotline: 911</em></div><div><em>Aleng Pulis Hotline: 0919 777 7377</em></div><div><em>PNP Women and Children Protection Center</em></div><div><em>24/7 AVAWCD Office: (02) 8532-6690</em></div><div><em>Email address: </em><em>wcpc_pnp@yahoo.com</em><em>, </em><em>wcpc_vawcd@yahoo.com</em><em>, </em><em>avawcd.wcpc@pnp.gov.ph</em></div><div><strong><em>For legal assistance</em></strong></div><div><em>Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Hotline: (02) 8929-9436 local 106, 107, or 159 (local “0” for operator) Email address: <u>pao_executive@yahoo.com</u></em></div><div><strong><em>For referral services</em></strong></div><div><em>Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children</em></div><div><em>Mobile numbers: 09178671907, 09454558121</em></div><div><em>Email address: <u>iacvawc@pcw.gov.ph</u></em></div>

Basketball player Paul Desiderio is being accused of domestic abuse by his former partner, former UAAP courtside reporter Agatha Uvero.