Billy Crawford finally admits courting Coleen Garcia

Maureen Marie Belmonte

<div><img src='' alt='011314-Billy_mainphoto.jpg' width='305' height='290' align='left' border='0'>Speaking at length for the first time after two photos of them went viral online, Billy Crawford finally confessed that he's courting his It's Showtime co-host Coleen Garcia.</div><div><br/></div><div>'Yes <i>nililigawan ko</i>. She's not my girlfriend, yet. And I would love for her to be,' brazenly admitted Billy during his live appearance on<i> Buzz ng Bayan</i> on Sunday.</div><div><br/></div><div>However, he clarified that contrary to speculations Coleen hadn't gotten in the way of his relationship with his former girlfriend Nikki Gil.</div><div><br/></div><div>“I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t talk. I think that was my fault. But<i> ako, pinanindigan ko 'yung sa akin and kung ano ang alam ko, </i>and Coleen is definitely not part of my past relationship at all,” he said.</div><div><br/></div><div>With all the critics that his rumored relationship with Coleen has seen in the past months, the dancer-host shared that young actress was initially hesitant to have anything to do with him.</div><div><br/></div><div>'She really wanted to pull away at one point and really just didn't want to have anything to do with me because of the speculations and everyone else speaking on our behalf.<i> Pero ako</i> Tito Boy <i>bilang lalaki</i> i'll pursue her, <i>paninindigan ko,'</i> he said.</div><div><br/></div><div>Since it was the first time that he addressed the issue, Billy likewise took the opportunity to clarify about the two photos of them that came out. The first one was last year in Bacolod where they appeared to be sweet to one another.</div><div><br/></div><div>'First of all it was an event, a party where most of the Showtime family was there as well. I think that picture was taken out of context. Coleen was doing that with Vice, Coleen was doing that to Teddy, she was hugging everyone and I was hugging everyone and we were just having a good time and <i>alam mo naman</i> people will just put words in the photo,' explained he.</div><div><br/></div><div>More recently, a photo of Billy and Coleen reportedly vacationing in New York surfaced while they were allegedly watching an NBA game.</div><div><br/></div><div>According to Billy, they never really went out of the country to go on a vacation together, he explained, 'I was talking to Coleen and I told her that I was going to New York to visit a friend and to see my family. And Coleen was like, 'oh I was going to New York too with my friend.''</div><div><br/></div><div>But he added that he did invite the young actress-host to watch the game with him even before they left the country.</div><div><br/></div><div>'I bought the tickets beforehand and said 'You know what I would love to go to New York and spend. Time with you to watch a game and have dinner,'' said Billy.</div><div><br/></div><div>After months of being mum on the matter, Billy said he has decided to come clean about the true status of their relationship because the criticisms about them have gotten worse over time.</div><div><br/></div><div>'<i>Masakit din eh. Hindi na 'yung</i> career<i> ang pinaglalabanan ko, hindi nako nakikipaglaban kung ano 'yung tama at mali, ang nilalabanan ko nalang pagkatao ko. Kasi mahirap maglakad na nagtatago, mahirap maglakad na alam mong maraming nagsasalita ng masama tungkol sayo kasi kami tao rin kami, may puso rin kami, nasasaktan rin kami</i>,' explained the 31-year-old actor</div><div><br/></div><div>In the end he thanked Coleen for giving him the opportunity to be himself and 'To be real and to try to get to know me despite everything that's been going on.'</div><div><br/></div><div>'You mean a lot to me and you motivate me into going to work everyday and I just enjoy who I am now and I want to pursue or trying to get to know you better. I'll be here for you as a friend or even more and thank you,' he told Coleen.</div><div><br/></div>

Billy denies that he and Coleen deliberately went on a vacation in New York recently

Billy Crawford finally admits courting Coleen Garcia | PUSH.COM.PH