A  BIG  'SURPRISE'  FOR  LANI
 

MANILA, APRIL 14, 2008 (STAR) By Ricky Lo - The party hosted by Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla for the 40th birthday (April 13) of his wife, Lani Mercado (described by Bong as “My only wife,” ehem!), Saturday night at the Palms Country Club in Muntinlupa City (a stone’s throw from the Revilla residence in Ayala Alabang) was supposed to be a “surprise” and it turned out to be a “real surpise,” indeed.

Reason: Several days earlier, while Lani and Bong were in the US, Lani got a call from daughter Inah (turning 19 in October, eldest of three girls), breaking the sad news that she’s four-months pregnant.

Bong, who got the news from Lani, broke into tears. Inah’s favorite aunt, Andrea “Andeng” Bautista (wife of Rizal Gov. Junjun Ynares), said that she’s “in denial” up to now; while Inah’s siblings (Bryan, Loudette, Gianna, Ram and Jolo, an unwed father) are in a state of “shock” and “disbelief.”

Lani had planned to make the “surprise” announcement on her birthday but the media (including The STAR which reported the “scoop”) beat her to it. All she and the still teary-eyed, choked-with-emotion Bong did was to confirm the rumor and the date of the wedding: May 28 (at the Manila Cathedral) which happens to be the Revilla couple’s 22nd wedding anniversary.

The groom? Vince del Rosario, son of George del Rosario. He and Inah have been going steady for more than a year. Bong described the del Rosarios as “family friends.” Bryan and Jolo said that Vince, a few years older than Inah, is their barkada. Inah and Vince will finish their studies even as they start a family of their own.

Asked what he has to say to his first ever son-in-law, Bong said, “Vince, you know how much we love Inah. Take care of her,” adding half in jest, “or else...”

* * *

Charice on Oprah

Fresh from a well-applauded guesting on The Paul O’Brady Show in London, Charice Pempengco (right) is scheduled to appear on the self-titled TV show of Oprah Winfrey (far right) who has annoounced “to watch for these fantastics kids in May,” one of them Charice. It’s Charice’s second guesting in a US TV show. The first was on Ellen DeGeneres’ eponymous show late last year.