Beth Tamayo and Elizabeth Batain, the same individual? | Beth Tamayo Scandal

Rumor has it. Elizabeth Batain, the Filipino drug courier who was executed via lethal injection in China on March 30, was said to be actress Beth Tamayo who has not been seen on TV for a while now. According to the rumor, this is the reason why the picture of the drug mule was not shown to the public.

Beth Tamayo and Elizabeth Batain, the same individual?

Confirming the spread of the rumor, these were among the comments I got from my write-up a couple a weeks ago about the executions of the Filipino convicts in China:

"si elizabeth batain ba ay si beth tamayo? bakit ayaw ipakilala sa publiko ang tunay na panagalan para mabgyan ng aral ang iba na may ganito ding gawain?" -Anonymous

"saan na nga ba si ms. beth tamayo?pwede kaya sya magpa phone interview o skype kaya para mawala na rin mga agam-agam na sya nga yung binitay,kasi 2008 pa sya nawawala eh....sana nga hindi talaga sya..." - Anoynymous

"beth tamayo, go out and show yourself in public. dont tell us about privacy - that's ridiculous! wag na kayong magsinungaling. you owe this to the public just like the other victims." - Anonymous

"bakit kailangang itago sa publiko ang mukha ni elizabeth batain? bakit ung 2 sa nabitay e naikalat ang pictures nila??? pareho lang naman silang 3 na may pamilya na dapat protektahan di ba?...bakit hindi magpa-interview ng live si beth tamayo para matigil na ang speculations ng publiko??? at bakit lahat ng tv stations e hindi mahanap c beth tamayo for the interview??? kc siguro patay na nga si beth tamayo...anyone can create an email account...ginagawa naman nilang tanga ang mga pilipino..." - Anonymous

According to reports, Beth Tamayo has denied the rumor through director Dante Nico Garcia saying that she is very much alive and is currently working in a private firm in the United States.

Kris Aquino also refuted the rumor since she was able to attend Elizabeth Batain's wake, attesting to the distinction between the two. She also said that Batain's family chose not to divulge the personal info because of the sensitivity of the matter.

"Lahat ng mga kapatid, mayroong matitinong trabaho. May isa, worked for a foreign government here; may isa, works sa Rockwell, may isa na nagtatrabaho sa isang Internet company. So, alam mo lang na ayaw mong mabansagan ang buong pamilya n'yo, drug mule or ganu'n, kasi masakit talaga, masakit 'yung ganu'ng accusation especially if you're trying your best na maging productive citizen," Aquino told Journal.com.