Controversial television and movie personality Kris Aquino yesterday made public her marriage to professional basketball player James Yap, ending months of speculation on the real status of her relationship with the cager from Escalante City, Negros Occidental.

In an interview with television network ABS-CBN, Kris --- youngest child of the late former senator Benigno Aquino and former president Corazon Aquino --- said she and Yap of Escalante City, Negros Occidental, first got married in May 28, just 22 days after she and the cage star became a couple.

"We got our marriage license on May 30. But we repeated the civil ceremony on July 10," she said yesterday.

Kris' admission confirmed a DAILY STAR story on June 14, 2004 last year when a source close to the family of Yap disclosed that the popular couple had wed in civil rites in late May, a week before an aide of the television celebrity went to Escalante City to seek the signature of Yap's parents for the marriage certificate.

Aquino, 35, who made a surprise visit to Escalante City in June last year, said she has been skirting away from the issue because she wanted her married life with the 24-year-old Yap to be private.

But Kris said her mother, Corazon, and James' family are aware that they had been married for the past 10 months.

Held at the residence of Aquino's friend and colleague, Boy Abunda, in Quezon City, the July 10 civil wedding of James and Kris was formalized by city mayor Sonny Belmonte and witnessed only by their manager, Ronald Stephen "Dondon" Monteverde, and Abunda.

Monteverde played matchmaker for Yap and Aquino, setting up a date for them on Feb. 6, 2005.

Reports said that Kris' mother, former president Corazon Aquino, and Yap's family are aware that the couple have been married for almost nine months.

'NOT PREGNANT'

Kris' admission of her marriage yesterday triggered rumors that she is pregnant, an allegation denied by Abunda on national television.

"Kris is not pregnant. How do I know this? I don't think a matter like her pregnancy is something that Kris can hide from me," Abunda told ABS-CBN.

A close friend of Yap, Dexter Dy of Bacolod City, who helped plot the path of the cager's career, said James had told his family and close friends about the marriage last year but appealed to them not to talk about the issue and allow him and Kris to make the formal announcement in due time.

Aquino's former boyfriends Joey Marquez and Philip Salvador, with whom she has a lovechild, said they are happy for Kris.

Actor Eric Quizon, a close friend of Aquino, said he hopes that Kris and James' marriage will last. "I hope I see both of you (Aquino and Yap) in a church wedding," he added.

Aquino is one of the most popular and highest-paid actresses in the country and is an endorser of 17 products, ranging from beauty to liquor and processed foods.

In 2004, the 6-foot-2 Yap, an endorser of Converse Shoes, was picked second by Purefoods in the PBA draft and he signed a contract with the club worth P11 million, spread over three years and nine months.

Before entering Asia's first play-for-pay basketball league, Yap had a checkered amateur and varsity career that was highlighted by a Most Valuable Player award in the 2003 UAAP Season, while playing for the University of the East Warriors.

Yap studied at the Mt. Carmel School in Escalante and was enrolled in the Tay Tung High School in Bacolod for one year before he moved to the Iloilo Central Commercial High School, which he led to the 2000 national inter-secondary basketball crown in Paete, Laguna. *CPT

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