Sigabo, the new series which should have replaced Batang Quiapo will not air starting today contrary to what was announced three weeks back.

Martin was quick to admit his team’s shortcoming.

“Humihingi ako ng paumanhin. Sinubukan po talaga namin. Nag-shoot na kami ng Sigabo. Habang sinu-shoot namin ito nakita ng buong team, nakaramdam kami ng pagod dahil pinaghandaan namin ang finale ng Batang Quiapo (I’m asking for forgiveness. We really tried. We already shot Sigabo. While shooting the whole team saw, we experienced tiredness because we prepared the finale (of Batang Quiapo),” Martin said.

The team, Martin readily admitted, had asked for a little break.

“Magpahinga lang ng konti (ang team). ‘Pag nabuo na ang Sigabo, sisiguraduhin namin na umpisa hanggang dulo papantay sa Ang Probinsyano at Batang Quiapo (The team will just rest for a while. Once Sigabo is completed, we will assure that from start to finish it will be at par with Ang Probinsyano and Batang Quiapo),” Martin assured.

Martin and the FPJ’s Batang Quiapo team came together for a finale watch party to celebrate three years of nightly action, drama, and impactful character journeys as the country’s most-watched primetime series since 2023 officially concluded on Friday (13 March).

The much-talked about Batang Quiapo finale, which drew a peak of 748,001 concurrent online viewers on YouTube, was packed with explosive action scenes and dramatic confrontations from start to finish as Tanggol (Coco) emerged victorious in his epic grand battle against his mortal enemy from the very beginning, Rigor (John Estrada).

Tears of joy

Kim Chiu became emotional after learning that The Alibi will be the frontrunner series of ABS-CBN primetime.

“Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko alam talaga (I didn’t know. I don’t know really),” she said in the interview when asked if she knew her series will get Coco Martin’s Sigabo timeslot.

Chiu believes there are unexpected things.

“May mga bagay na nangyayari na lang talaga. Grateful talaga ako. Ngayon, di na ako nag-eexpect ng kahit na ano (There are things which really happen. I’m grateful. I don’t expect anything now),” she added while on the verge of crying.

Chiu and Paulo Avelino headline ABS-CBN’s primetime block starting today, 16 March at 8 p.m. with their much-awaited suspense drama The Alibi: Ang Buong Katotohanan, that will showcase a longer version and never-before-seen scenes.

Viewers’ weeknights will kick-off with full-on suspense, drama, and romance in the extended version of the series, diving deeper into the intense love story of Stella (Kim) and Vincent (Paulo) while unraveling a web of gripping unsolved mysteries surrounding the murder of Walter (Sam Milby).

Apart from the jaw-dropping plot twists, viewers should also not miss captivating new scenes and the highly anticipated alternate ending that will take everyone by surprise.

The series follows the encounter of Stella, a seductive escort, and Vincent, heir to the nation’s leading digital news empire. What begins as a simple agreement between the two gradually evolves into a complicated relationship as they attempt to uncover the crime behind the murder of Walter.