Like any good mom, Andi Eigenmann only wants what’s best for her child. Though her relationship with her daughter’s dad Jake Ejercito has been strained, she has no problem sharing custody of their 5-year-old daughter.
In a recent interview with PEP, she candidly opened up about how she felt when she first found out of Jake’s petition.
“Parang na-alarm ako kasi, my God, ano ba ‘yan! Hello, lumalaki na si Ellie, she’s five years old and before anything else, do you really think that exposing her to this kind of limelight, to this kind of parang…’di ba, ka-cheapan, will be good for her?” she said, pertaining to the publicized petition. “Kasi if this is really not for your ego, for your pride, or for I don’t know, or out of spite because you just hate me so much…If this is really because you just love your daughter and you want what’s best for her, I also want that agreement, I also want that joint custody.”
photo: Andi Eigenmann instagram
Continuing, she expressed her dismay at how the way media is pitting her and Jake against one another.
“Bakit kailangang idaan pa sa paninira or ilaglag yung ina or hilahin siya pababa, bakit kailangan ilabas pa? Bakit kailangan isali na naman lahat ng tao na you know, di ba, this is what ruined everything,” she added. “Hindi naman ako nagpapanggap na victim, e.”
Communication is the key to simplifying complications
“Sabi ko nga, as long as it’s really joint custody, okay lang,” she said, adding that she would be her own lawyer if she could, because she’s trying to save up. “Pero sobrang as in magpapaka-aktibista talaga ako pagka sinet up nila ako or nag-ano sila nang hindi totoo or sinira nila ako. Kasi yun nga yung tanong, di ba? Is this really what’s best for your daughter? Or is it really to bring the mom down and take me away from her?”
“And they’re very powerful people and I’m very scared of them,” she confided, pertaining to the family of former president Joseph Estrada, who is Jake’s dad.
Despite her worries, she’s more than willing to talk it out civilly with Jake because she believes communication is the key to iron out the complications of their present set-up.
“Kung nagko-communicate lang sana tayo, it won’t even be this complicated, marami lang talaga tayong misunderstandings kasi hindi tayo nag-uusap,” she explained. “Okay talaga ako, sobrang gusto ko maging part siya, siyempre naman para sa anak ko yun.”
photos: Instagram
She also lamented how her past messages to Jake, sent when she was “naïve and in love”, at the height of her emotion are often taken against her.
“Whenever you’re hurt, siyempre minsan, mashu-show mo siya differently,” recalled Andi. “Like for example, he hurt me or I’m mad, masasabi kong di ko ipapakita yung anak ko or what not. But that was a long time ago!”
No ill or romantic feelings for Jake
Andi clarified that she no longer has feelings for Jake.
“I’m living a quiet and peaceful and happy life,” emphasized the single mom, who’s currently dating again.
Though Ellie gets to spend time with her daddy Jake, she thinks this is less than he’d like. Hence, the filing of the petition.
“Anytime, nahihiram, pero hindi masyado. Feeling ko, yun yung theory ko, hindi masyadong nahihiram as much as he wants because it has to be Ate Ika that will talk to me,” she said, referring to Jake’s older sister Jerika. “He doesn’t want to talk to me, e. So feeling ko, yun rin, e.”
READ: Ellie Eigenmann welcomes 5th birthday with dad Jake Ejercito
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