Richard Yap says no to DNA test

ACTOR and Cebu City north district congressional aspirant Richard Yap will not subject himself to a DNA test as he dismissed the challenge of Joshua Paolo Jensen, a 24-year-old Cavite resident who is claiming to be Yap’s “abandoned” son.

Jensen has filed a petition for compulsory recognition before the Cebu Regional Trial Court (RTC) and challenged Yap to face him so they could have a DNA test done.

“I think it is for our lawyers to talk about that. If I accept (the challenge) that means that we are guilty or we are thinking that there is a chance but there is really none. Why should I agree to what they want?,” Yap said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

Yap pointed to Cebu City Councilor Niña Mabatid, a rival candidate for the north district congressional post, as the person behind Jensen’s allegations and the paternity suit filed before the court.

“Mangutana lang ko, siya ba ang inahan kay ngano siya man ang sigeg panghagit (Let me just ask, is she the mother? Why is she the one always daring me),” asked Yap.

Mabatid promised to withdraw from the congressional race if Yap submits to a DNA test and the results would show that he isn’t the father of Jensen.

In his petition filed on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, Jensen asked the Court to render judgement declaring him as a natural child of Yap after due notice and hearing.

Jensen had claimed that his mother and Yap last saw each other when she was still pregnant with him and she had an ultrasound done.

He claimed that efforts to reach Yap failed as he was always told that the actor was out of town when he often tried to see him at Yap’s home network ABS-CBN.

Yap said Jensen’s claims are all politically motivated.