The hashtag **#Kimpau** once again stirred up the online community when Bela Padilla, Kim Chiu’s close friend, spoke up to defend the actress against constant criticism and gossip.

Rumors about the relationship between Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino have sparked a wave of fierce debate. While fans “shipped” her non-stop, others criticized Kim Chiu for hurting their current relationship.

Realizing that her close friend was being attacked, Bela Padilla could not stay silent. The actress posted a strong status on Instagram:
*“Enough! Kim doesn’t owe anyone an explanation. Let her live her life without being judged. Those who only know how to ‘throw stones’, are you perfect?”*

Bela Padilla and Kim Chiu have been close friends for a long time, often appearing together at events and always supporting each other in every situation. Bela frankly shared that, regardless of the rumors, she always stood by Kim and respected all her friend’s decisions.

In response to Bela’s protection, Kim Chiu also expressed her gratitude on social media:

*“Thank you Bela for always being my strong support. There were times when I felt like I couldn’t handle it, but you always reminded me that I was stronger than that.”*

Despite Bela Padilla’s statement, the debate about Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino has shown no signs of cooling down. The hashtag **#Kimpau** continues to trend on Twitter, with many mixed opinions.

*“Why can’t people let Kim be happy? If she and Paulo have something, support them instead of criticizing them!”*

Meanwhile, some people think that Bela is trying to “put out” the rumors on Kim’s behalf:
*“If there’s nothing, why does Bela have to speak up? Where there’s smoke, there’s fire!”*

Although the truth of the story has yet to be confirmed, one thing is for sure: Kim Chiu always has friends like Bela Padilla by her side to protect and support her. Is #Kimpau just a rumor or a budding relationship? Time will tell!

Bela Padilla Shares Sweet Message For Having Kim Chiu In Her Life

Expressing her love for one of her closest friends in the industry, actress Bela Padilla penned a heartwarming message on her Instagram account dedicated to Kim Chiu.

On January 3, Bela posted a glimpse of their international trip with Kim through photos and videos as they roamed around California.

In the said post, the actress became a bit emotional as she reminisced about their first meeting and how they have grown together not only in the entertainment industry but also in their personal lives.

“For those who don’t know, Kim and I were born a few days apart. And we’re so alike in many, many ways. And since 2017, she has been such a great source of laughter and strength for me,” Bela said.

Bela considered their recent trip an important milestone in their friendship, as Kim brought more fun to their international tour with just her presence. “Thank you, Kimmy, for making every small and big event the happiest ever!!! Dami nating natutunan this trip, and lagi tayong tulog na tulog at the end of the day sa daming side quests, but I had the best time! “she said.

Wrapping up her short but sweet message to Kim, the actress sincerely wished one of her best friends a fruitful year in 2024, especially in her healing stage considering her recent personal experiences.

Feeling that kilig on Bela’s message, Kim commented on her post, saying that their recent trip was also memorable for her. “Awww, I love you to bits, momsy!!!! Thanks for being the best!!!! This trip nasubok ang friendship talaga! Hahaha, wait for my post,” Kim said.

With this exchange of sweet messages between the actresses, netizens also expressed their appreciation for their friendship and for being a great source of love and support for each other.

“I am so happy to note Ms. Bela from your caption saying that Kim (despite what she had gone through) still managed to be a great source of laughter and strength to you,” a netizen commented on the said Instagram post.

The friendship between Bela and Kim became stronger as they formed a small group with Filipina actress Angelica Panganiban called “AngBeKi,” which was also present during Angelica’s special day as she finally married her partner Gregg Homan.