Jaehwa Bernardo

(Left to right) Celebrity couple Arjo Atayde and Maine Mendoza. Photo from Atayde's Instagram account

Article (news)

'Not built on taxpayers' money': Maine Mendoza defends husband Arjo anew

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175750595447520250910 (6).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="(Left to right) Celebrity couple Arjo Atayde and Maine Mendoza. Photo from Atayde&#x27;s Instagram account"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">(Left to right) Celebrity couple Arjo Atayde and Maine Mendoza. <em>Photo from Atayde&#x27;s Instagram account</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Television host Maine Mendoza has once again defended her husband, actor-turned-politician Arjo Atayde, after his name was linked to alleged irregularities in government flood control projects.</p><p>Atayde, the representative of Quezon City&#x27;s first district, was among the lawmakers identified by contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya in their claims of corruption involving the projects. He has, however, <a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/arjo-atayde-says-never-dealt-with-discayas-viral-photo-not-from-a-planned-meeting-1650"><strong>denied the allegations</strong></a>.</p><p>Mendoza had earlier defended Atayde in <a class="fr-green" href="https://x.com/mainedcm/status/1964951922399666503"><strong>a September 8 post</strong></a> on X, where she said she stands by her husband in the controversy and maintained that he has done nothing wrong.</p><p>On Wednesday, Mendoza released a longer statement on her social media accounts, once again rejecting the accusations against Atayde.</p><p>&quot;After being bombarded with vile remarks the past 48 hours, I will not pretend they don’t sting, but I will also not allow lies to define who we are,&quot; Mendoza said.</p><p>Mendoza rejected the notion that her and Atayde&#x27;s lives were &quot;built on taxpayers’ money,&quot; following online criticism of the lawmaker&#x27;s frequent overseas trips. She maintained that both her family and Atayde&#x27;s are capable of sustaining their lifestyle.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmainedcm%2Fposts%2Fpfbid021n5PNFAsGvWMaUBWRo9Fu9KHUK7GjUQRKmtNhBXUsJvxJizgo3wu8FoLh3NveMbvl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="291" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>&quot;Not a single part of our life has been built on taxpayers’ money. Everything we have comes from years of work and savings. We pay our taxes, and we pay them truthfully, because we respect the same system we are accused of betraying,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;It’s personally offensive to be accused of spending money that we have rightfully earned outside politics. It’s unfair to reduce everything that we are and everything that we have worked for to that single narrative,&quot; Mendoza added.</p><p>Mendoza said she would &quot;never accept the narrative that accuses us of stealing and living off taxpayers&#x27; money.&quot;</p><p>&quot;That is not who Arjo is, that is not who I am, and that is not who we are—no amount of noise and accusations will ever make it true,&quot; she said.</p><p>Mendoza added that if her husband was guilty of committing any &quot;dishonest&quot; act, &quot;I certainly wouldn’t defend him and cover for him.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Accuse him of other things if you wish, but not of stealing from people—that is one line he has never crossed, and never will,&quot; she said.</p><p>The 30-year-old celebrity acknowledged that it was &quot;truly distressing to see people suffer in times of crisis because of corrupt politicians who put self-interest above all else, alongside their accomplices.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Nakakagalit talaga (It&#x27;s really infuriating). And we also believe those who are truly guilty should face accountability,&quot; she said. &quot;I know we may be easy targets, but you are condemning the wrong people.&quot;</p><p>Mendoza said she and Atayde continue to hold on to the belief that &quot;the truth&quot; will eventually come out.</p><p>&quot;When the truth comes out, I hope those who judged and condemned us so quickly—especially those who filled platforms and our spaces with all sorts of hate—also take a moment to recognize how harsh and hasty their judgments were,&quot; she said.</p><p>Mendoza also noted that &quot;legal actions will be taken.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Arjo will clear his name by proving his innocence. Let&#x27;s allow due process to run its course before we condemn. God knows the truth, and we stand with clean hands,&quot; she said.</p><p>Mendoza, who rose to fame through her pairing with Alden Richards in the &quot;Kalyeserye&quot; segment of &quot;Eat Bulaga!&quot;, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/07/28/23/arjo-atayde-maine-mendoza-are-now-married"><strong>married Atayde</strong></a> in 2023.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zvNoEw_Ku4g?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>Television host Maine Mendoza has once again defended her husband, actor-turned-politician Arjo Atayde, after his name was linked to alleged irregularities in government flood control projects.</p>

Television host Maine Mendoza has once again defended her husband, actor-turned-politician Arjo Atayde, after his name was linked to alleged irregularities in government flood control projects.