i got sucked into this thread kasi ang juicy ng topic - si Gretchen. She's my favorite person to dislike. When i don't feel too good, or i just want to feel better about myself, i look at her IG and I leave IG feeling good kasi nakikita ko talaga how pathetic, unhappy and attention-whore she is. She's also a humble (actually hindi nga eh) bragger -- it seems as if wala kasi syang big circle of family and real friends around her to share joys with.
anyway, i'm probably a big critic of hers, in that i really see her as a sad and empty person. However despite disliking her, parang hindi ko masasabing kabit sya. I know this rings so unpopular here pero kasi the open rumor is that TBC was separated na when he met Gretchen, and the marriage to his former wife is simply a piece of paper. If we want to be a stickler for laws, as in the legal definition of 'kabit' then yes kabit sya because of man-made laws, pero in spirit/the essence is hindi sya kabit. Just wanted to share that view, but it doesn't matter what any of us believe in at the end of the day the laws affect them, not us.
I actually think TBC is just being smart about this. Sa dami nyang pera, he can easily influence his ex-wife, or the legal system to get an annulment or dissolve the marriage (I am not saying divorce because if they got married in the Philippines, then they can not divorce as I think divorce is not yet allowed in the Philippines). Sa tingin ko, TBC does not want to marry her, not because of lack of love, but because he probably does not see her as a good business person. If he marries her, legally she will be entitled to half his estate (and all other legal rights) and that's not a good move/smart business. Even if TBC does NOT love his ex wife, he probably thinks she's a better business partner, kaso walang love. So kung ako din naman si TBC, I will do the same -- enjoy the arms of the one I love, but leave my estate to the one I know has better sense to care for it.
It does not mean that Gretchen will be left dry if TBC passes away though. I mean, TBC can 'donate' or 'gift' money, property, bonds, whatever it may be while he is alive and the law can not retrieve those in the event of his death. Pag binigay na, considered gone na yun. Wealthy people do this all the time so Gretchen could have a trust gifted to her already, securing her lifestyle for the rest of her life.
In my view, from TBC's side, their arrangement works perfectly. From Gretchen, she can settle for the crumbs she's given as these crumbs are more than enough to live comfortably. Yun nga lang she'll never get the title and legal benefits of a wife unless biglang namatay yung wife ni TBC and wala na si TBC excuse to NOT get married --- true intentions will come out at that time, I think.
At the end of the day, mukhang hindi truly happy si Gretchen, so all the money and gifts in the world (the crumbs) still make her feel so empty.... and it seems TBC is always absent in her life. She's always out with her few friends, at events, or even traveling with the family of her friends, but she's always ALONE. She's using IG to humblebrag and get attention that she probably does not get from TBC or his personal circle.
Anyway, like I said this is just my perspective and it's okay if we don't agree on this. I hate kabits too -- as in women/men who knowingly go after, or knowingly entertain, truly committed people (not estranged). Isn't TBC's ex-wife also dating someone else anyway (no idea here)?