Brian Velasco's girlfriend issues statement about rocker's death | ABS-CBN

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Brian Velasco's girlfriend issues statement about rocker's death

Brian Velasco's girlfriend issues statement about rocker's death

ABS-CBN News

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Razorback drummer Brian Velasco died this Wednesday morning. Photos from Velasco's Facebook page

MANILA – Portia Carlos finally broke her silence on Sunday to address “speculations, gossip, malicious rumors and lies” surrounding the death of her late boyfriend, Razorback drummer Brian Velasco.

Velasco passed away last January 16 in an apparent suicide.

In a lengthy statement sent to entertainment site Push, Carlos explained that Velasco had bipolar disorder “that causes extreme mood swings that include mania or hypomania (emotional highs) or depression (lows).”

Because of his condition, Carlos said doctors put Velasco on medication and he agreed to take it religiously.

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However, they learned from the helper who regularly cleaned Velasco’s condominium unit that the musician had not asked her to buy his meds.

“After his death, they also saw some meds in the condo when his supply should have been used up by then. The helper knew when she was supposed to buy the meds if Brian had been taking it regularly,” she said.

“His manic episodes were VERY SIMILAR to his bad drunk episodes. And we all thought he was taking his meds, specifically because he has not had a manic episode since he started taking them. SO, NO. HE WAS NOT ALONE NOR ISOLATED IN HIS LAST FEW DAYS. WE HAVE SEEN WORSE AND WE JUST ASSUMED THAT IT WAS ALCOHOL AND THAT HE WOULD BE SOBER IN A FEW DAYS,” she said.

Categorically denying that Velasco was depressed, Carlos said her late boyfriend was actually making plans prior to January 16.

“On Jan 12 and 13, we spent hours training my always angry shih tzu Jack and Panchito to co-exist because we planned to live together this May so we won’t have to pay for 2 broadband accounts, 2 Meralco bills, 2 assoc dues, and decide each night which unit we were gonna sleep at, only because we needed 2 units in the same building to separate my dog from his Alfie (his recently departed dog). We thought a puppy would be easier for my dog to learn to co-exist with,” she said.

“On Jan. 13, he messaged another drum teacher-friend and asked her when their drum recital was. On Jan 13, over dinner, we were talking about the color of his suits for two upcoming weddings in my family. On Jan 15, OR A DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT, he spoke to the mom of a student and asked if they had plans to go on a trip because he is scheduling a recital soon,” she added.

According to a psychiatrist she talked to on Saturday, Carlos said Velasco certainly had a manic-depressive episode based on the events and activities she narrated to the expert.

Meanwhile, Carlos also denied that Velasco was beating her up and that their worst fights were all shouting matches.

Carlos said Velasco was not sad his band was on its way down.

“In fact they’re in the last stages of an extremely major project that he had been so happy and excited about. Something so big that, if I'm not mistaken, has never been done in the PH music industry,” she said.

She said Velasco’s family also did not waive the autopsy to supposedly cover up drugs in his system.

“Not true. Brian did not do any drugs, not even weed. He just liked alcohol. Drugs was never a consideration in the 'waiving' of the autopsy. To us, we just lost someone we loved in the most tragic way,” she said.

Velasco joined Razorback in 1996, replacing original drummer Miguel Ortigas, and helped the band become a household name after the release of their second album, "Beggar's Moon."

Razorback's last album, "Acoustic ng Ina Mo," a compilation of acoustic versions of their hits, was released in 2015.

Last year marked their 28th anniversary as a group and saw them drop a new single, "Stargazer," featuring Wolfgang's Basti Atardi.

Velasco's death came more than a week after Razorback headlined a benefit gig for OPM legend Wally Gonzalez, a founding member of the influential rock act Juan Dela Cruz Band.

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