I usually love sharing our lives—the good and the bad—under my "Life in the Philippines" series, but today I’m forced to address something truly heavy and incredibly unfair. A woman named Ella Jalu has been spreading lies about Jessa and me, and she’s even gone as far as to claim that we were a "trigger" that led to our previous landlord’s passing.
First, I want to say may he rest in peace. I want to be very clear: I had no idea he had passed away when I uploaded my previous videos about the house. I posted that video weeks ago to share our genuine experience with the living conditions there. To be blamed for such a tragedy is not just a lie; it’s a level of defamation I can’t let stand.
Ella’s claims are a complete reversal of the truth. She’s telling people we left the house damaged and dirty, and that we "nagged" him for our 20,000 Peso deposit. The reality is the exact opposite. We actually felt so sorry for his financial situation that we told him to keep the deposit! We never received a cent of it back, and we certainly didn’t nag him. As for the "damages," we had the caretaker walk through the house with us before we left, and he gave us a literal thumbs-up. Any "issues" with that house—like the paint peeling off if you so much as touched it or the front door that wouldn't lock—were because of the incredibly poor build quality, not because of us.
I also have to address the claims about the utilities. We never complained about the electricity coming into the house; we complained that the internal wiring was a fire hazard. The lights would dim just from using the oven! And the water? We went months without water inside the house and were told the "solution" was to go outside to a tap. For 20,000 Pesos a month, that is simply not acceptable.
Jessa and I have millions of followers across our platforms, and we live in a small community. When someone spreads lies like this, it affects our lives and our reputation. I’m making this video because I have to set the record straight. I have the bank statements, I have the screenshots, and I have the messages from the landlord pleading about his finances. Everything I say is backed by proof.
I really didn't want to bring this drama to the channel, but I won't let people believe these fabrications. I'm hoping Ella does the right thing and takes down those posts. If she does, this will be the last time I speak on it, and we can all let the man rest in peace. But I have to protect my family. I’ve always said, if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all. It’s a lesson some people still need to learn. Thanks for standing by us while we navigate this mess.
