MANILA, Philippines? (UPDATE) Jolina Magdangal?s father, Jun, respects the singer-actress? continued silence on what caused her break-up with boyfriend Bebong Muñoz as he expresses shock over rumors that a GMA-7 lady executive is the cause of their separation.

Magdangal, who is also his daughter?s talent manager, confirmed the breakup, which he said he learned on Dec. 26.

?I want to respect her silence (on what caused the break-up). I am still waiting for her to give the reason but she has yet to elaborate,? Magdangal said in a phone interview with the Inquirer on Sunday.

The singer-actress herself confirmed the report and indicated that her father?s statements had her blessings.

In an interview with the GMA 7 talk show ?Showbiz Central? on Sunday, the younger Magdangal stressed: ?Totoo wala na po kami [It?s true we?ve broken up].?

On her father?s disclosures to media, she said, ?Tinanong niya muna ako. Sinabi ko, sige na po para matapos na?[He first asked me if he could talk. I said okay so it would end speculations.]?

According to sources, the couple separated before the Christmas holidays. They said the still undetermined cause of the break-up was so severe that the singer-actress initiated the breakup and indicated there was no hope for any reconciliation.

Magdangal said her daughter and the rest of the family had celebrated Christmas in their Quezon City and Tagaytay homes without Muñoz.

On the rumor linking Muñoz to the unnamed GMA 7 lady executive, Magdangal said:

?We were shocked that something like that came out. I asked Jolina about the gossip. All she said was that: ?Basta Bebong and I talked about it na.??

Another source said Muñoz and the network executive were supposedly last seen together in a GMA 7 gathering. The executive's husband allegedly walked out of the event upon seeing Muñoz, the source added.

A close friend of Muñoz told INQUIRER.net the lawyer was unavailable for comment because he is currently out of the country for a business trip.

Despite the rumors, Magdangal said his daughter is handling the breakup very well. ?She?s back to work, singing and dancing on ?SOP.? We will wait for the right time for her to talk.?

She herself expressed that she remained positive despite the hurt. ?Kahit sinong tao naman, pag dumaan sa ganito, gusto maging positive [Anyone who would be in the same situation would want to become positive],? Magdangal said. She said she would not allow herself to get affected, let alone her colleagues and friends. ?Kung malulungkot ako, bakit ko sila ihahawa. Bakit ko isasama sila sa lungkot ko? [If I?ll be lonely, why will I let them get affected? Why will I let them feel the same way?]? She added only prayers guide her through the hardship.

As for the real cause of the separation, Magdangal remained mum.

Magdangal and Muñoz met eight years ago. ?But he went to the US soon after. They became a real couple when he came back three years ago,? the elder Magdangal added.

With Marinel R. Cruz and Gerry Plaza