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Katherine Luna, who previously dated Coco Martin, opened up about spending four years in prison due to drugs and the sacrifices of her eldest child during a conversation with Charo Cordial of Maddox Jewelry. During her visit, the actress also reflected on how her child supported their family through her darkest years, inspiring her to choose a special gift as a way of giving back.

During her visit to Maddox Jewelry, Katherine looked for a simple gift for her eldest child as a way of making up for everything the latter had done for their family.

She recalled that shortly after undergoing surgery, when she was still unemployed, her eldest child worked hard to support them. When money became scarce, the child even pawned two gold necklaces. Unfortunately, they were never able to redeem the jewelry.

“Para sa amin, para sa pamilya.” (For us, for the family.)

Now that Katherine is slowly rebuilding her career and receiving work opportunities again, she wants to be the one who can give something back to her child.

However, the jewelry sacrifice was only one of the many ways her eldest child helped their family through difficult times.

Katherine revealed that she spent four years in prison because of drugs. At the time, her eldest child was only 14 years old.

“Noong time na nakulong ako, walang relatives. Ang nandun lang talaga nag-asikaso, ang mga anak ko, lalo na yung panganay ko.”

(When I was imprisoned, I had no relatives. The ones who were really there to take care of me were my children, especially my eldest.)

Despite being so young, her eldest child would travel from Manila to Montalban to bring her food in prison.

“Every week,” she recalled.

Katherine initially relied on her savings, but the money eventually ran out during the final year of her imprisonment. At one point, her eldest child, who was nearing 18 at the time, even asked permission to start working.

While their mother was behind bars, her children had to find ways to support themselves while continuing to look after her.

Katherine also expressed the pain she felt when she realized that some of her relatives were no longer around during her lowest point.

“Noong time na nasa taas ako, wala na akong kamag-anak. Pero nung nasa loob na ako, nakulong ako, nawala na akong kamag-anak.”

(When I was at the top, I had no relatives. But when I was inside, when I was imprisoned, my relatives disappeared.)

Despite the disappointment, she said she held no grudges against them.

“Naiintindihan ko pa rin sila.” (I still understand them.)

Instead, the experience helped her recognize the people who would remain by her side even when she had hit rock bottom.

Life in prison was far from easy. Katherine recalled how little food they received, sometimes leaving them waiting to see whether anything would be left over.

Nevertheless, she found opportunities to rebuild herself while serving her sentence. She became a trustee and was entrusted with responsibilities in the kitchen and store. She also completed high school, pursued vocational training, and learned dressmaking while in prison.

Before her life took this turn, Katherine had already reached a significant milestone in her acting career. She won Best Actress for ‘Babae sa Breakwater,’ her first leading role.

However, problems involving her family and relationships coincided with her involvement in drugs, eventually derailing her career and personal life. She reached a point when she no longer cared about herself.

Her circumstances began to change when people eventually gave her another chance and believed in her ability to recover.

“Doon na ako nabuhayan. Doon na ako nagkaroon ng pag-asa,” she shared.

(That was when I began to feel alive again. That was when I found hope.)

As she gradually rediscovered herself, Katherine recalled what she told herself upon reconnecting with the person she had once been.

“Na-miss kita. Ang tagal mong nawala. Na-miss kita. Iingatan na kita.”

(I missed you. You were gone for so long. I missed you. I will take care of you from now on.)

The conversation also touched on the long-standing rumors surrounding her and Coco Martin. Katherine revealed that they used to be part of the same circle of friends and admitted that she was attracted to the actor.

“Atrak na atrak ako sa kanya. Ako [ang] nagpapapansin,” she confessed with a laugh.

(I was extremely attracted to him. I was the one trying to get his attention.)

She described their closeness as a situation where they seemed to be together but were not officially a couple. She also referred to their connection as “mutual love,” although she acknowledged that she was the one who was deeply infatuated with Coco at the time.

Beyond the revelations about her past relationships and personal struggles, Katherine’s most moving story was about the people who stayed with her when she had almost nothing left to give, particularly her children.

The gift she chose for her eldest child therefore carries a deeper meaning. It represents her attempt to give back to the child who once pawned personal jewelry to help support their family and continued caring for their mother at an age when most young people were still depending on their parents.

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