Veteran singer-songwriter Jim Paredes came clean with the raunchy video clip which made rounds online, retracting his earlier denial that it was him on it.
Paredes apologized on his website for recording the solo act and emphasized that it was supposed to be “private.”
“I know many of you have judged me and condemned me, and those who held me in high esteem are disappointed in me, to put it mildly. I apologize for my irresponsibility,” he said on April 1.
“But most especially, I stand in bottomless sorrow and contrition before my family who are reeling from the hurt and aggravation, and the embarrassment and shame, that should only be mine,” he added.
It’s not certain where the video came from or who posted it, but it made rounds early this week. Some of his fans claimed it was not him in the video, but others noted some likeness.
Paredes, a former member of OPM band APO Hiking Society, admitted he did not know how to address his followers at first.
“The video was real. It was private, and not meant for public consumption. I do not know how it became public,” he said.
He earlier tweeted it was “fake” as part of an exchange for his earlier post: “Fake news is government sponsored.”
He alleged that his critics may have something to do with the privacy intrusion.
“I can only surmise that in this ugly season of toxic politics, muckrakers determined to neutralize my influence by violating my privacy and digging up dirt on me are at work.
Paredes had been vocal with his opinions on social media against some policies of the government under President Rodrigo Duterte and actions of his allies.
Following the incident, he made his Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts private.
Amid criticisms against Paredes, some Filipinos called on others to stop sharing and giving links of the scandal online.
Laughing at my friend Jim Paredes and his predicament doesn’t make you, video thieves and sharers, any better than him. The lengths you went through to reveal his private data are CRIMINAL and you should be charged. You violated his privacy. Karma boomerangs big time.
— Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro) April 2, 2019
April Fools' or not, please stop sharing Jim Paredes' video.
1. It's disgusting.
2. It's a literal blow below the belt.
3. It's disgusting.
4. Continuous sharing will only make you appear as if you really like it and
5. Yeah that's disgusting. 🤮— Ronn (@PulbuRonn) April 1, 2019
