(Editor's note: Recast incorporates a clarification that actor Johnny Delgado was suffering from "Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphona" and not colon cancer as previously posted, his wife actress-director Laurice Guillen said. It also corrects the previous post that said Guillen had a similar illness, which was reported as colon cancer. Guillen said she "never had colon cancer nor any type of cancer in the past." We extend our sincerest apologies.)

MANILA, Philippines? (UPDATE) Veteran actor Johnny Delgado is suffering from lymphoma.

Actor Christopher de Leon, a close friend of Delgado, confirmed to GMA 7?s ?Startalk? on Saturday that his ?Goin? Bananas? co-star was ill but added he would easily overcome it.

?Johnny is a strong person. Even before that happened, napapag-usapan na namin yung mga [we always talk about] ailments and all that. Lately, I don?t know his real condition. Hindi ko alam ang totoong condition niya. Ayaw niyang padalaw kung hindi siya magaling. Ang nakakausap ko lang namin ngayon si Inday Laurice. Te-text lang ako. [He doesn?t want us to visit him until he?s well. We only talk to Laurice. I only send him text messages].?

De Leon said, Delgado? s ?toughness? will help him prevail.

?[I know] he?ll recover from that. He?s a tough person,? he said.

Blind items published on tabloid newspapers first mentioned an actor who was diagnosed with cancer. Recent articles, however, identified Delgado as the latest show biz personality battling the deadly disease, after rapper Francis Magalona, who is suffering from leukemia, and action star Rudy Fernandez, who passed away in June due to periampullary cancer.

But Delgado?s wife, acclaimed actress-director Laurice Guillen, clarified to INQUIRER.net that the veteran thespian was suffering from ?Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma,? which she said is treatable, and not colon cancer.

She also said Delgado?s close friends, including De Leon, were not permitted to visit her husband due to safety reasons.

?While he undergoes treatment, visitors are restricted so as not to put him at risk for infections,? she said.