ETHEL BOOBA & ALEX CRISANO
Coupling: The two met in 2004, when basketball player Alex appeared in the reality show Extra Challenge. Ethel was the show's resident comic relief. That same year, Ethel publicly declared her love for her tattooed giant when the Department of Justice suspected that he had faked his Filipino citizenship claim. Ethel reportedly declared, "No man has loved me the way he does."
Match up: The Fil-Am athlete and the probinsyana with a penchant for plastic surgery and kinulang-sa-tela fashion were an odd couple right from the get-go. When they met, Alex was still trying to get out of his turbulent marriage while Ethel was building a reputation as a scandal magnet. They were bad for each other and everyone knew it—“except them.
Breaking points: The on-off couple was notorious for their public meltdowns, as well as their leaked sex video. In one of their splits, Ethel accused Alex of being a junkie and Alex stated that he'd had enough of Ethel's bad English. In 2006, while on vacation in Boracay, Ethel and Alex's fight led them to the police station. The curtain fell on the Ethel and Alex Show the following year.
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Ethel Booba and Alex Crisano on moving on after their break-up.
Famous words: In a 2007 interview with the Philippine Entertainment Portal, Ethel revealed, "Sa aming pagtulog ay hindi na kami magkadikit. May distansiya na kami at halos nalalaglag na nga kami sa kama."
Current status: Ethel and Alex's notoriety died down when they parted ways. Ethel, who was a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother's second celebrity edition in 2007, is still hot in the comedy club circuit. Alex is still playing basketball for the Barako Bull Energy Boosters. In an interview, he waxed poetic about his controversial past. "I made mistakes but, hey, who here does not make mistakes? I've learned from those mistakes. That's how it is in life. You make mistakes and you learn from those mistakes in order to come out as a better person," he said.
Love lesson learned: Sometimes hell is the person you love.
RACHEL "CHE" TIONGSON & LUIS "CHAVIT" SINGSON
Coupling: Che hooked up with Chavit when she was 18. He was a little more than 30 years older than her. The two had a common-law marriage for 17 years, during which they had five children.
Match up: The comely Che is a stay-at-home mom while Chavit is the country's Deputy National Security Adviser. Che admitted that she depended on Chavit for everything.
Breaking points: In an interview with ABS-CBN, Che disclosed that she was fed up with Chavit's womanizing. "Akala ko talaga na ako lang ang babae sa buhay niya," she said. "'Yung mga ilang years na nagsasama kami, may mga lumabas na kasing edad ng anak ko na may anak rin. Naitago niya ng hindi ko alam." Despite this, Chavit acted like a wronged man when Che found a new boyfriend. On August 22, 2009, Chavit caused scandal when he barged in on Che and her new love and allegedly proceeded to physically harm them. Che said that Chavit, with his bodyguards in tow, had a latigo for his pet tiger, which he reportedly used on her.
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Che Tiongson on Chavit Singson allegedly torturing her.
Famous words: When asked if he would give Che child support, Chavit posed this rhetorical question: "Hindi ko susuportahan. Ano 'yan, susuportahan ko para ipanlalaki lang niya?"
Current status: Che and Chavit have since settled amicably for the sake of their kids. In another interview, Chavit said that he would be willing to shell out cash to pay for Che's wedding to anyone she may fancy.
Love lesson learned: Having rhyming last names doesn't guarantee happily-ever-after.
