Remember when Kris Aquino candidly talked about an “ex” during a campaign sortie for presidential aspirant Leni Robredo in Capas, Tarlac last month?

There, Kris advised the crowd not vote for a candidate who's part of the UniTeam, relating: “Sayang ang boto dahil hindi marunong tumupad sa mga pinangako.”

Though no name was mentioned, many believed she was referring to Herbert Bautista.

Note that Herbert, who was once romantically linked to Kris, is running for senator under the Uniteam of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte.

In an interview with Ogie Diaz, Herbert said he didn't assume that the tirade was directed at him.

“Nung nagsalita siya tungkol dun sa Tarlac, hindi ko naman in-assume na ako yun, kasi wala naman siyang binanggit na pangalan," he said.

“Na yung sinabi niya na bahagi ng UniTeam, kailan ko lang nalaman after that, two days after. Nakita ko may mga picture, parang sino dito? Lahat pala kami nasa UniTeam. Parang ganun, parang hindi yata ako yun, a,” he added, relating that Kris' other ex-partners are also rallying behind UniTeam, referring to Senatorial candidates Robin Padilla, San Juan City councilor candidate James Yap, and Party-List representative Philip Salvador.

If anything, this is Herbert's message to Kris:

“So, hindi ko siya in-assume. So, at one point dun sa Tarlac, nasa Tarlac kami nung nakaraan, sabi ko ang number ko, 8, gusto ko sana palitan ng letter X to kaya lang di ko alam kung ako talaga ang sinasabihan.

“Kung ako po yun, ito na lang ang message ko sa kanya, ito ang sinabi ko sa stage: ‘Malaki ang respeto ko sa pamilya mo at saka sa 'yo. Yung pagmamahal ko sa 'yo bilang kaibigan ay hindi mawawala. Pagaling ka at kumakain ka ng marami,’ which I would always tell her.”

Herbert also prayed for her speedy recovery.

Reports said that Kris and Herbert made sweet music in 2014, starting when the actor-turned-politician asked for her phone number.

During their on-and-off relationship, Herbert proposed marriage to Kris twice - 2014 and 2017. Kris declined both proposals.

In a rare instance, Herbert also shared about their "brief" romance.

“Well, si Kris ano, very briefly lang yung relationship namin. It’s my first time to talk about her. And as much as possible, ayoko, kasi baka pagalitan ako or, I mean, pagalitan niya ako uli. Pinagsabihan niya ako na I should not be talking about our past.

"What I can say about Kris is, she’s a very intelligent person, very caring person, talagang maalaga. And always the words of wisdom, lagi kang makakarinig sa kanya. But we never stopped communicating.

“There are times na hindi nagku-communicate, walang texts, walang call for about three, four, five months, biglang, pak, magti-text siya, magti-text ako.

"Tapos mag-uusap kami ulit one, two, three days, after that, pak, buwan ulit na hindi kami, ganun, hanggang na-sustain yun until namatay si PNoy (Kris brother late President Noynoy Aquino.

“And then, after that, nawala ulit yung communication.”

“Well, pinag-usapan namin yung marriage, pero siyempre marriage kasi is a process. Hindi naman siya… I think she went through the same whirlwind, e. Parang laging whirlwind yung dinadaanan niyang relationship na nagpapakasal siya.

“E, ako naman, kahit na drama yung buhay ko, conservative pa rin akong tao, e, na let’s go through the motion, through the process.

“We talked about it, but because of her experience and because of what happened to me, parang that conversation about marriage was serious but not as serious in really getting married.”