Elvira Manahan

Elvira Bermejo Ledesma y Manahan (; 27 June 1927 – 14 October 1986) was a Filipino television host, actress and socialite. As an actress, she starred in '70s and '80s films such as Ang Pulubi, Burgis (1981) and Bagong Hari (1986), and hosted in television shows Two for the Road (1967) and Family Kuarta o Kahon.

Tatler Asia described her as "a society and fashion icon whose reputation remains unrivalled". She was compared to Kim Novak, Bianca Jagger and Zsa Zsa Gabor for her beauty and glamorous lifestyle, and socialized with Hollywood celebrities Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Marlon Brando and Pat Boone.

In October 1986, she was brutally murdered by her real estate broker, which shocked the country and remains a talk of Philippine society.

Biography Early life

Manahan was born 27 June 1927 in Silay, Negros Occidental to Simeon Ledesma and Conchita Bermejo. and Stop, Look, & Listen, and a commentator of the Mexico Olympics with Penggoy Pingson in 1968. After Lardizabal's death in 1969, Eddie Mercado took over until 1972.

As a talk show pioneer, she made shows into something that people looked forward to that lasted until midnight.

Personal life Marriage and family

Her grandson Joey Manahan was a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives (2007–2013) and ran in the 2014 election to represent in the United States House of Representatives, but finished sixth in the Democratic primary held in August 2014.

Extramarital affairs Before the declaration of Martial Law, Manahan had romantic relationships with Ali Aziz, a British-Arab financial consultant to the business magnate Aristotle Onassis and President Ferdinand Marcos. After writing a check for an undisclosed amount, Balatbat clubbed her to death with 15-pound dumbbell and afterwards escaped. The victims were rushed to the Makati Medical Center and Manahan underwent brain surgery but died at 7 PM.

Prior to committing murder, Balatbat already had a criminal record, which included a near-fatal assault on a US embassy official. He was eventually captured and jailed, wherein a court case was brought up to the level of the Supreme Court. Two years later, Balatbat was killed while in police custody for allegedly attempting to escape during a prison fight. His motives for the crime have been tied to gambling debt and drug use, being at a casino the night prior.

Columnist George Sison noted that among Manahan's favorite expressions included "I need that like a hole in the head" and "When I die, I'd like to go with a bang!". Weeks before her death, Manahan also shared that she perceived Jaime Balatbat "to be mentally unstable" but continued trusting him. Sison also argued that there was never an affair between Manahan and Balatbat, saying, "One thing about Elvira is that she's a sucker for sob stories. She would talk to him on the phone for hours. There were even nasty rumours that he was her lover. I don't think so. You would not misconstrue that her reaction to him was attraction."