YOUNG singer Darren Espanto apologized a day after he was involved in a Twitter war against fellow “The Voice Kids” alumnus Juan Karlos “JK” Labajo.
“I did not mean to use the word ‘bakla’ as a derogatory term. I am sorry if this has offended anyone,” Espanto said on Twitter.
The feud started Monday after Labajo tweeted “gayness at its finest” tagging Espanto.
“And to the people who say I have ‘fragile masculinity’? I have been bashed with this since I was in The Voice Kids (I was 12) pero wala kayong narinig. I am 17 now, kakapagod na rin,” the singer said.
Espanto also mentioned that his private conversation discussing the issue was posted by Labajo on Twitter but was later deleted.
“Nung una hacker, ngayon edited? Pero nag appear sa mismong account mo?” he lashed at Labajo.
Another tweet from Espanto yesterday called the young Cebuano singer ‘bastos.’
“Wag mo rin sasabihin na tinuring mo akong kapatid noong The Voice kasi ang plastic noon,” he said.
Espanto also hinted at suing Labajo.
“Sa korte na lang tayo magkita kung di ka masyadong busy. Sikat mo na eh, ‘brother’! @KarlosLabajo,” he ended his tweet.
Labajo earlier explained that his Twitter account was hacked. He also defended himself from Espanto and his bashers.
“It is so hard to defend yourself because the more you do it mas hindi kapanipaniwala. Pero kung tatahi-tahimik ka lang din, para ka naring nag admit na tama mga hinala nila. Gulo ng sistema diba?” he said.
The 17-year-old singer from Cebu said that he explained himself out of anger.
“Pasensiya na sa mga taong nasaktan sa mga salitang nabitawan ko,” he said.
In another tweet, he said he will not apologize for the things that he did not do.
“Mamatay man lahat ng tao na mahal ko at nagmamahal sa akin pero once and for all, hindi ako nag tweet noon,” he said.
Labajo also denied that he badmouthed Espanto during his stint with the Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Season 7 in 2016.
Yesterday, Espanto said, “And even if I was not the one you were talking about in PBB, hindi pa rin tama ang magsalita ng masama tungkol sa iba.”
Both singers joined “The Voice Kids” season one in 2014 where Lyca Jane Garanoid of Team Sarah was named as the grand champion.
Espanto landed in second place while the Cebuano singer finished third in the singing competition.