Today Tabloid

With the death of actor Gabby Concepcion’s father, the big question to many is this: will Gabby’s daughter KC be attending the wake, considering that her father and mom Sharon did not exactly separate in the best circumstances? Sharon has after all admitted that there was "no closure" in the split-up. According to Gabby’s sister Sandy, KC has sent word she will be coming.

The public, movie press and friends of the Concepcion family will get the chance to pay their last respects beginning Friday, September 26, which is the day for public viewing of the body.

The movie press and friends of the Concepcions aren't exactly barred from paying their last respects to Rollie Concepcion, father of actor Gabby Concepcion, who passed away Tuesday night at the Lourdes Hospital in Mandaluyong City.

Immediate family spotted at the wake include, among others, Gabby and Sandy, two Concepcion siblings based in the country and Genevieve Gonzales, Gabby's wife and their children.

KC Concepcion, the actor's eldest daughter by actress Sharon Cuneta, is also a very close kin who has already sent her feelers she will pay her last respects to her beloved grandpa.

"She said she will come over. I just don't know when," said Sandy who propped to the gate of the Montessori del San Juan, a family school owned and managed by the Concepcions in their sprawling lots just beside their ancestral house in San Juan, when the security guard told her a couple of movie writers were around to have a view of Rollie.

Melba Llanera, a freelance movie reporter who was with this writer in front of the Montessori Wednesday afternoon, volunteered KC most probably would come to the wake in the evening before she goes to Europe Thursday for the world premiere of her film "For The First Time."

"We really don't allow anyone outside the immediate family. Anyway, we'll have a public viewing on Friday after the immediate family has paid its respects to my Dad," apologetically exclaimed Sandy who was obviously assigned to face up with the visitors.

Baby Arellano Concepcion, Gabby's mom, arrived from the US on Thursday with his four sons namely Dinky, Mike, Juju and Junjun and daughter Rina.

An announcement is posted on the doors of the school when the viewing is opened to the public on Friday: no taking of pictures, no close up shots of the casket, no video cameras allowed and no interview with the immediate members of the family.

When we called up and looked for Gabby earlier Wednesday afternoon, it was Martin Delgado, one of the actor's buddies, who answered the phone saying Gabby is very sad about the situation.

"Sorry but we have to abide by the request of the family. I know that you are friend to the Concepcions but the current viewing is exclusively yet for the family," Delgado stressed.

But he added Gabby is fine and resting.

Delgado apologized on Gabby's behalf. "Sana, maunawaan ninyo siya. Sana, pagbigyan n'yo si Gabby. Hiling lang niya na 'wag muna siyang interbyuhin," said Martin.

On Tuesday night, according to Martin, he was with Gabby who was with Genevieve doing some business meeting with some friends in Makati.

"Suddenly, we received a call from Tito Rollie's companion in the car when he suffered chest pains and heart attack. He told us to rush to Lourdes Hospital. So Gabby, Genevieve and I went hurriedly to the hospital but it was very late already. Tito Rollie died on arrival," Martin recalled.

The elder Concepcion was driving his car towards 9 de Pebrero Street in Mandaluyong City when he suddenly felt dizzy and complained pains were smashing his chest so his companion lifted him from the driver's seat to the next seat and took on the wheels to the hospital.

It was Gabby, said Delgado, who assisted his dad in the hospital and later on the morgue. He was also the one who chose and prepared the funeral parlor and casket for his dad.

Meanwhile, off-limit friends excludes Nadia Montenegro who was going in and out of the Montessori to console for his friend. "Kahit anong sabihin nila, paninindigan ko na kaibigan ako ni Gabby. Kahit sa huling sandali, dadamayan ko siya," said Nadia.

Nadia was also the one who was texting the media people to refrain from taking shots on Rollie's remains and advised them of a public viewing on Friday.

Montenegro said she will be beside Gabby in all his fights including the legal battle the actor has raised against Rose Flaminiano, his manager. "Alam naman natin kung sino ang nagsasabi ng totoo. Basta ipagtatanggol ko si Gabby," assured Nadia who was wearing a white blouse and a dark jeans as signs of respect to the bereaved Concepcion family.

No date of interment has been announced yet by the Concepcions until Baby has come home.

"Si Tita Baby lang ang makakapag-decide kung kailan ililibing si Tito Rollie," confirmed Nadia.

Rollie was 71 when he passed away.