Pilita lost voice as a battered partner

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) -- The woman hailed as "Asia's Queen of Songs" at one point lost her voice due to domestic abuse.

Asia's Queen of Songs Pilita Corrales. File photo

In an interview on "Pipol" that aired Monday, veteran singer Pilita Corrales said she endured 10 years of domestic abuse when she lived under the same roof with former partner Amado del Paraguay.

"[It was] very bad, I was beaten up. At one time, I lost my voice, although the doctor said it will come back after one month," Corrales said

She said she even had to nurse a bleeding ear while performing on stage.

Corrales blamed alcohol for her partner's violent episodes.

"Once he would already take a drop of alcohol, I was already like this (hands clasped in prayer), it would happen again," she recalled.

"[There was a time] I was hit with a telephone here (points to her ear) -- it was bleeding -- can you imagine singing with that," Corrales said.

Staying in spite of it

Decades after the grim chapter of her life, Corrales is still befuddled as to why she stayed in the relationship after the first time she was hit.

"Up until now, I cannot understand why. Why didn't I just walk out and run? I don't understand," she said.

The strains from the abusive relationship would soon affect people's perception of her, Corrales recalled.

"What happens is that sometimes people say, 'You like to be beaten,' but then you tell yourself, 'Why didn't you get out?

"People were telling me, 'My God, gusto mo siguro magulpi. Why didn't you leave him after so many years kung ginaganoon ka naman?' Then I thought, my goodness," she said.

Not an hour

Recounting del Paraguay's abusive episodes, Corrales said she also feared being alone -- the reason for her staying in the relationship despite the physical and emotional strains that came with it.

"Seems like I thought, if I leave him, wala naman ako dito, maghahanap naman ako ng iba. I don't want to be alone," Corrales said.

At the time, Corrales nonetheless had her two children -- Jackie Lou Blanco and Ramon Christopher Gutierrez.

"Until a certain day came -- parang sinabi ko -- that's it. You leave and never go back. It took me 10 years," she said.

Today, the "X-Factor" judge said she won't stay in a relationship a year if she were faced with the same situation anew.

"If it would have happened now., the next day I will leave. I won't stay an hour," she said.